


Lon Chaney Has Nothing On You

by siriuslymerlin



Category: The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010)
Genre: Attempted Sexual Assault, F/M, High School, Vampires, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 18:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15955223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuslymerlin/pseuds/siriuslymerlin
Summary: Sioux Falls was supposed to be a nice place to settle down and finish high school, but for Eleanor, it's set right out of a horror movie. At least she's made a few normal friends, right?Cross-posted on Fanfiction.Net





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, so I've been trying to keep all my on going things posted on AO3 as well and ff.net, so please enjoy a secret indulgence of mine!

Eleanor Davis was not looking forwards to a new school. She was not looking forwards to leaving what meager friends she had taken years to acquire and having to start from scratch. She knew she wasn’t conventionally pretty in ways that made a girls popular, though she liked her green eyes and smile. She was rather quirky: possessing a wide knowledge of several books, TV shows, and movies along with a data base of useless facts. She dressed almost exclusively in graphic tees, flannels, ink covered skinny jeans, and her favorite Chuck Taylors. Her hair was impossible; it was a mop of unruly, shoulder-length black curls she could never finagle into something nice. She was too skinny, with no curves to speak of at 16. She also had the worst habit of running her mouth at the most inappropriate times.         

            Did her father take any of this into account when he ran off with a much younger woman? No. Did he care at all that he was deserting his wife of twenty years and his only child? No. Had he forgotten just how dramatic his now ex-wife was? Had he not realized that the “pain of his betrayal” would “haunt Delphine for all eternity in this house of hell?” The answer to that was of course yes, because, as intelligent as her father came off, he never stopped to think. It was this inability to think through his course of actions that had rudely uprooted Eleanor from her beloved home in New York City and landed her in Sioux Falls, Minnesota with zero regard to her feelings. Just typical. Nevertheless, she was determined to make the best of a truly miserable situation. She held her head high and agreed vehemently when her mother told her Sioux Falls would be a great place to paint and for Eleanor to finally get a hobby.

            That’s how Eleanor found herself desperately trying to straighten her hair at 6 AM in the morning, in hopes of looking somewhat decent her first day of junior year. After an hour of struggling, she’d finally gotten her hair together and she was dressed in a boring plain blue button down paired with a plain black tank top, new unstained jeans, and for the first time in her life, soft looking ballet flats. After deciding she wasn’t going to look any better than this, she shouldered her bag and left the house, ignoring her mother who was sprawled out on the couch, martini already in hand. Day drinking already, good god. The drive to school was quiet, mostly because Eleanor couldn’t figure out what station to put on, or what they were. She parked quickly and dashed into the building after looking at the time. Thankfully the student office wasn’t hard to find and the lady at the front desk was very kind, printing off a map for her and telling her how to get to her first class. With various papers in her hand, she managed to make it class with seconds to spare. Students milled about the class room. Girls sat on desks and flirted with boys. Other read quietly, and one group of boys huddled close together, laughing at something. Eleanor turned to the older man at the front of the room, presumably the teacher.

            “Mr. Foley?” she asked tentatively.

            “Yes?” he gave his answer without looking up.

            “I’m new here this year, and I need you to sign this,” she explained, handing him the homeroom teacher form when he looked up. He quickly signed it and handed it back.

            “Alright Ms. Davis, let’s find you someone to buddy up with here,” Mr. Foley typed away and scrolled through his computer for several minutes. The class behind her began to settle and she could feel everyone looking at her.

            “Oh perfect,” Mr. Foley muttered, “Mr. Sands?” A blonde boy looked up, the same one who had been laughing closely with his friends. Eleanor noticed he had a camera in his hands.

            “Considering just how many classes you and our new friend Ms. Davis have together, I’m assigning you to be her buddy, show her around and the like,” Mr. Foley explained. The boy groaned and began to argue.

            “No arguments, Hunter! Everyone, this is Eleanor Davis, who just move here. I expect everyone to be friendly!” there was a mumbled noise of agreement and Eleanor was finally allowed to take her seat. Admittedly, Hunter ignored her for favor of his own friends, but that made it all the more important to appeal to him. Mr. Foley spent the rest of the period talking about the upcoming junior year, the perks balancing out the responsibilities.

            After class, Eleanor sped up to catch up with Hunter.

            “Hey Hunter! How’s it hanging, home slice?” He stopped dead and gave the girl a funny look.

            “No one says _home slice_ anymore,” with that, he continued on. Eleanor hurried to catch up with him.

            “What’s your next class? Mine’s Calculus with Mrs. Bright,” she babbled. The boy sighed.

            “Yeah I know. Mine too, that’s why I’m stuck being your buddy,” he turned a corner abruptly and Eleanor almost tripped trying to keep up.

            “What’s the rush? Afraid all the good integrals will be taken?” She joked, going so far as to weakly elbow his side. Hunter’s mouth quirked, like he was trying not to smile. Once inside, Hunter picked a seat next to the African American boy he’d been talking to earlier. Eleanor sat on the other side of him.

            “Hi, I’m Eleanor,” she introduced herself the other boy, who looked a little taken aback.

            “Uh, hi. I’m Rich,” he replied, looking to Hunter in confusion. Hunter only shrugged. Eleanor was about to say something else, but Mrs. Bright started talking, first going over the syllabus then jumping straight into the first lecture. The students scrambled to take notes, which left no time for talking. The next few classes passed in the same manner. She tried asking Hunter questions, but only received either curt answers or sarcastic ones. So far, the only things she managed to learn about him was that he really like creative writing.

            Finally, after 4 awkward periods, it was finally time for lunch. She followed Hunter wordlessly through the lunch line and then to his table, where she awkwardly hovered. His two friends were already sitting there.

            “Mind if I join you?” she asked, a little apprehensive. The third boy, a tall, scrawny, and pale kid looked her over.

            “I’d say… a solid 6, borderline 7. Sit down, I’m Rob,” Rob gave a smarmy smile and Eleanor returned it hesitantly.

            “Rob, man, don’t be weird. This poor girl’s been here all of two seconds and you’re already putting the moves on her,” Rich shook his head in disgust and offered Eleanor a kind smile, one she returned gratefully.

            “Hey cool, is that a Supernatural button on your backpack?” asked Rob, eyeing her excitedly. Eleanor perked up at that.

            “Yeah, you know, saving people, hunting things, the family business,” she replied, happy to have something in common with the boys. Even Hunter was starting to show an interest.

            “Do you like horror movies?” he asked casually.

            “Oh, me? No way, I scare too easily! Which is funny because I can do horror TV just fine,” she told him, smiling victoriously. A slow smile spread across his face. Lunch passed with Eleanor content. She talked mostly with Rob and Rich, with Hunter interjecting occasionally. Rob was put on a smarmy façade and clearly exaggerated his stories, though no one called him out on him. Rich was kinder, with a wicked sense of humor. He seemed to be in the business of defying all stereotypes. He was crazy tall, but abhorred basketball. He was nerdy, but didn’t take academics very seriously. He wore a Metallica shirt, but talked excitedly about the Kanye West concert he’d attended during the summer. However, it seemed the rest of the population thought the trio of boys were nowhere near cool. Girls passed and Rob called out compliments and pickup lines, making everyone cringe and the girls they were aimed at toss rude names at him. A group of jocks passed by and called to them mockingly, going as far as to drum on Hunter’s head and knock Rich and Rob’s heads together. Fortunately, she went unnoticed.

            “We’re not exactly the cool kids,” Hunter explained once the jocks left. Eleanor gave them her best sympathy face. Personally, she’d been hoping to make cool friends for once, but not-so-cool friends were better than none.

            “You don’t want to leave? Try and get in with the Barbie crew?” Hunter asked, as if reading her thoughts. Eleanor blushed at the question.

            “No way! You guys are my friends,” she told them firmly. Hunter gave her a big, cheesy smile. Finally! The bell signaling lunch rang. She and Hunter said goodbye to other boys and went to their 6th period class, Chemistry. Hunter talked more openly now, asking her questions now, to which she happily gave answers to. He asked where she lived, and she told him it was the Majesty at the Falls neighborhood. He nodded at that, then told her his neighborhood, which wasn’t so far from her own. He asked her if she drove and Eleanor told him all about beloved Toyota Camry. He informed that, sadly, he and boys took the bus, because his dad never let him borrow the car. Eleanor kept quiet on the subject of fathers, not wanting to be judged due to her own shitty father.

            Finally, 10th period, the last period of the day rolled around. It was also the one class that Eleanor didn’t have with Hunter. He took woodshop, whereas she took mythology. Hunter was kind enough to walk her to her next class, which wasn’t very far. She bid him goodbye and walked into class. Mr. Fadley, the mythology teacher had a very monotonous voice, making it hard to concentrate. In the meantime, while Fadley launched into an explanation of the countries and myths they were to study, Eleanor began to compile all her data on her new friends. Rob was tall, but still shorter than the other boys. He had a mane of black hair that contrasted sharply with him almost translucent skin. He was gangly and scrawny, but held himself with confidence. He walked with a swagger that came off pretty obnoxious, but it was almost endearing the more she thought about it. Rich was the tallest, standing at 6’6. His hair was cropped closely. He was clearly the brains of the operation. He held himself as though he knew too much, but was clearly the kindest. Hunter was tall, just passing 6 feet. He had a mop of blonde hair that fell into his eyes, though she’d noticed they were a very pretty shade of blue-green. While he wasn’t as built as the jocks, he was well muscled, something she’d figured out when she tripped directly into him on the way to European history. He was also very intelligent, considering she was in almost all AP’s and he’d met her class for class.

            Overall, she considered the day a success. She’d made friends, liked all her classes and teachers, and hadn’t gotten lost once. The drive home had been fine until she came to the gates of her neighborhood. The wooded road, so pretty and inviting, looked downright terrifying, covered in fog. She turned on her fog lights, because as pretty as the road was, it was almost completely covered by the canopy of trees. However, there seemed to be no light coming from car. Her heart started pounding when she stopped the car and climbed out. Upon inspection, it seemed someone had taped over her lights with duct tape, which was hell to pull off. It figured; of course there was going to be some douche bag pranking people in the parking lot. After all the tape was gone, she moved to get back in her car, but stopped dead when she heard a rustling noise. She whirled around but there was nothing there. She hopped into the car fast and turned it back on with shaking fingers. She had her windows down to make up for her busted A/C and could hear more rustling. Just as she was about to start driving, a dark figure leapt from the trees and slammed it hands down on her hood. She screamed, barely registering a flash, before slamming her accelerator. She banged into the creature, knocking him down, but before she could go further, Rob screamed at her to stop. Hearing his voice, she slammed her breaks.

            “Jesus Christ!” He exclaimed, “Turn your car off, it’s just us!” she did as she was told, and climbed out of the car to find Rich, camera in hand easing off the monster mask from the figure. Her guilt melted into anger when she saw it was Hunter. Hunter, who’d been so kind this morning, had only played her. She was friendless once more.

            “What the hell is wrong with you?” her voice shook with poorly controlled anger once Hunter was back on his feet.

            “What’s wrong with me? What wrong with you? Who just runs someone over like that?” He asked, groaning and rubbing his abdomen.

            “You’re the worst! You absolute jerk! How could just do that! I thought—“ her voice cut out then. She realized, horrified, that tears began to well up in her eyes and the lump in her throat wasn’t from fear. All three boys’ heads snapped up stare at her, horrified. They’d never scared someone so much they cried. Eleanor sucked in a breath and steeled herself.

            “Move!” she all but snarled it at the boys, stalking to her car when the boys jumped out of the way. Rob went and turned off the fog machine.

            “Hey, c’mon Eleanor, we were just messing around, we promise,” Hunter gave a wide smile, and had she gotten over her anger, just the slightest amount, she would’ve melted. But she didn’t.

            “Do you want me to run you over for real this time?” Her voice was thick with unshed tears, but the threat was so real that even Hunter could read it. The boys backed up and the fog lessened considerably. She floor it and ended up at home in record time. On her way inside, she passed her mother, passed out on the couch, martini glass dangling precariously in her hand. The steady rise and fall of her chest reassured her and Eleanor moved past that. Once she reached her bedroom, only then did she cry.

00000

            The next day of school, she stumbled into calculus with only moments to spare, earning a harsh glare from Mrs. Bright. Once Eleanor had taken her seat, the woman began her lecture. Today, Rich and Hunter had left the only open seat in class between them, so Eleanor was forced to sit there.

            “Hey Eleanor!” Hunter’s cheerful whisper went ignored.

            “Did you catch last night’s Supernatural episode?” she had, but she wasn’t about to let Rich know that.

            “C’mon Ellie, we were just messing around,” Hunter told her, voice sweet and pleading.

            “Don’t call me Ellie!” she snapped quietly. Only her father was allowed to do that. Amazingly, Hunter and Rich backed off then. Eleanor sighed; finally it was over and she could live out her next 2 years here in solitude.

            Of course, she was wrong. Hunter didn’t let the matter drop, instead he alternated between pleading with her and talking at her. Finally, when it was lunch time, Eleanor planned her escape. She would retreat to the library and eat there. However, Hunter and the boys had other plans for her. Once she stepped out of the lunch line, Hunter swooped in and grabbed her tray.

            “Let me get that, it looks heavy,” he dodged her gracefully when she made a grab for her tray. Just then, Rob plucked her bag from where dangled off her shoulder. She whirled around, only to crash into Rich, who began escorting her to their table. She sat down in huff, glaring at the boys, who had plastered cheesy smiles to their faces.

            “Come on Eleanor, it was just a prank! Like an induction! Now that you’re our friend, we promise we won’t play anymore pranks on you!” Hunter promised. The others nodded eagerly. Eleanor stared Hunter down, but he didn’t back down. She could’ve sworn there was a flicker of gold in his eyes before he blinked.

            “Hah! I win,” She smirked at him, as the guys laughed at that. The need for friends won out over her anger, and seeing how eager the guys were, Eleanor finally relaxed and let her guard down. Dorky, prankster friends were better than no friends. She and Rob talked about the new Supernatural episode from last night, while Hunter looked at an essay for Rich. After that, the day passed more easily. Hunter explained that scaring people and taking pictures of their faces was one of favorite pass times. He told her animatedly about the few times he’d gotten suspended his freshman year, and then about some of his more covert operations. That afternoon, she offered to drive the guys home if they liked, an offer they took immediately. They had fun in the car, with Rich fiddling through her radio. She dropped Rich and Rob off, then Hunter, since he lived closer to her.

            “I’ll see you later,” Eleanor called as he left. He turned back her.

            “You don’t think you could pick me up tomorrow?” He asked, giving her a hopeful look. Eleanor laughed and nodded, to which he grinned and waved. Though it had a rocky start, she mused, driving back home, the year looked promising.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next week was more or less smooth sailing, Eleanor noticed. Jocks still jeered at the group, cheerleaders still demonstrated their disdain at every opportunity, but it was easier to bear with friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! So, I'm trying this thing where I write a fic in it's entirety before actually posting it. I'm doing this so I can stay true to a weekly update schedule and work on completing another fic in the process. Anyways, I'm trying to catch up to what's posted on FF.net, so the next few updates will happen sort of quickly, then we'll get back on a weekly schedule. Now that the housekeeping things are done, please enjoy the next installment.

The next week was more or less smooth sailing, Eleanor noticed. Jocks still jeered at the group, cheerleaders still demonstrated their disdain at every opportunity, but it was easier to bear with friends.

Rob was easier to like once he let go of his smarmy façade. He was a pretty big mythology nerd, something he and Eleanor had in common. He was in the morning myth class, so he told her what they’ll be covering in class every day.

Rich was the same, just more talkative. He and Eleanor shared the same taste in music, so he showed her all the cool radio stations. He’s still the most level-headed of the group, always the first to tell someone when they’re overreacting.

Hunter, though, still remained an enigma. Eleanor couldn’t decide if he actually liked her or just tolerated her presence for the sake of the other two. Sometimes, Eleanor caught him frowning at her, though he was quick to turn it into one of his big, cheesy grins. Still, she’d take two out of three.

The second Monday of the school year rolled around far too fast, cutting the weekend off. Saturday, the guys had invited her to the dog park, which was much more fun than she’d imagined. Mostly, it was just Hunter rolling around with the dogs and tackling his friends to the ground. Rob and Rich laughed along, even when they were dogpiled upon. Hunter surprised Eleanor by catching her around the waist when she was distracted by a cute puppy and dragging her to the ground. He’d crowded over her, smiling a little maniacally, eyes glinting. Eleanor snorted, before tickling his sides harshly and pushing him off. He’d seemed in much higher spirits after that.

Now, while reminiscing, Eleanor tried not to burn herself with the straightener, something easier said than done. After getting her hair looking manageable, she put the straightener down with a sense of accomplishment, having only burned herself twice. Improvement was improvement, after all. She moved quickly after that, getting dressed and grabbing a granola bar on her way out. She spared a glance at her mother, passed out on the couch, probably still drunk from the night before. Eleanor forced herself to move past her; if her mother wants help, she’ll ask for it.

The drive to Hunter’s place went by pretty quick, and today she didn’t even have to honk the horn for him to come out. He slid into the passenger seat gracefully, smiling at her in greeting.

“Morning, Sands,” she said, backing the car out of the driveway.

“Hey, E. Davis!” he chirped, far too energetic for a Monday morning. Eleanor told him as much.

“You are far too energetic for a Monday morning, my dude.” Hunter only laughed, reaching over to tug on a lock of her hair. She ducked away from him, laughing.

“Hey man! No distracting the driver!” They pulled into Rich’s driveway, gathered the boy, and moved onto the next stop. Even from the backseat, Rich tried to control the radio, leading to a mini-squabble that only ended when Eleanor threatened to let Rob sit shotgun for the rest of the ride. Once all the boys were collected, and the bickering subsided to manageable levels, they made it to school.

While they walked to their homeroom, Eleanor noticed a poster outside the door.

“Guys! Guys, look at this!” She gestured wildly to the poster, which details a “back to school carnival” to be held the following weekend. The boys all groan, shaking their heads at her. Unfortunately, Mr. Foley chose that exact moment to come to the door.

“I’d advise you kids hurry up and get into to class,” he said, shooting them a disapproving look.

The little group settled into their chairs before Eleanor opened her mouth again to convince them to go, but, before she could get a word in, Mr. Foley began delivering the announcements.

“SAT practice test signups are in the main office, and the sign up deadline is next Friday. The next round of practice tests will be held in November,” he told them, voice void of any emotion. Mr. Foley’s monotone made it hard to listen, but still, Eleanor took note of the announcements, something the boys made fun of her for.

“This year’s back to school carnival will be held on Saturday, from 3 pm to midnight. All proceeds go to the student activity board. Volunteer signups are in the main office.” Eleanor’s eye went wide, and she turned to her friends.

“Guys! We should totally go!” she whispered excitedly. Rob rolled his eyes.

“You still have much to learn about this school, young padawan.” Eleanor scoffed, waving him off. “Come on guys it’ll be totally fun!”

“E, as experts of this schools caste system, we’re telling you, it won’t be fun. This event is for the socially elite, the so-called ‘popular kids.’ That does not include us,” Hunter said, voice ringing with a note of finality.

“Oh, please, all that ‘popular kids’ bullshit is just that, bullshit. It doesn’t even exist!” she countered.

“Maybe not in enlightened New York, but here, In Sioux Falls, Minnesota, where it is always the nineties, popularity is alive and thriving,” Rich tells her, giving her an all knowing look.

“Come on guys! Just for, like, an hour! Just to see what it’s like! It could be a cool social experiment, a peek into a new world,” Eleanor said, in what she hoped was an enticing voice. Hunter quirked an eyebrow at her, face impassive.

“Okay,” he said. The other boys turned to gape at him rather theatrically.

“Okay?!” echoed Rob, sounding entirely scandalized.

“Are you out of your mind, Hunter?!” demanded Rich, voice dangerously above a whisper.

“I know what I’m doing,” he whispered calmly back. “Let’s try it.”

“Hello, genius, do you no remember last year’s, complete and utter catastrophe?” Rob hissed, sounding angry now. Hunter’s mouth twitched, like he was hiding a smile.

“I remember,” he answered simply. “It wasn’t that big a deal.”

At that, Rob gasped so loudly, that several classmates left their own conversations to glare at him. Luckily, Mr. Foley paid them no mind.

“What happened last year?” Eleanor asked, a little fearful of the answer. Whatever it was, it must’ve been embarrassing, because Hunter colored slightly and ducked his head.

“I… fell into a booth,” he mumbled.

“Is that it?” Eleanor laughed. “Is that the ‘complete and utter catastrophe?’ Seriously guys, that’s not even that bad! I’ve done way more embarrassing things before! I bet everyone’s forgotten about it!”

“Also, I may or may not have started a small fight, more of a brawl really. Matthew Pinkett’s nose was kind of a casualty,” Hunter continued. Eleanor gaped at him, not able to imagine Hunter in a fight, let alone one he started

“Don’t forget when you savagely broke Carter Archibald’s arm, and we lost the entire football season because of that,” Rob added. “Savage arm breaking, bro.”

“Let’s not forget him getting arrested in front of the entire student body!” Rich chimed in. Hunter frowned at that.

“Hey, man, the charges were dropped! My record is clean,” he defended himself, capping it off with a charming smile.

“That horrific incident is why nobody likes us, because this idiot ruined the cheerleading booth and cost us the entire football season,” Rich explained. Eleanor went quiet for a moment, trying to think of a way to recover from this.

“Well, maybe if we don’t cause any major incidents, everyone will leave us alone this year,” Eleanor offered. She kept telling herself that delinquent friends are better than no friends.

Hunter looked intrigue, exchanging looks with Rob and Rich. Whatever secret argument was going on resolved itself quite quickly, because Hunter smiled triumphantly and turned to Eleanor.

“We’re going on one condition,” Hunter started, smirking a little.

“Anything!” Eleanor interrupted, which only served to widen his smirk.

“You’re driving.”

00000

By the time it was Saturday, Eleanor could barely contain her excitement, going so far as to tell her mother her plans.

“Mom, guess what!” she’d said Friday night. Her mother looked up, eyes bleary and pale-faced.

“What?” she mumbled, struggling to get comfortable.

“My friends and I are going to the back to school carnival tomorrow!” she said, feeling child-like and carefree. Her mother heaved one of her great, world weary sighs, and pulled herself up to a sitting position.

“Did you even ask permission?” she asked. Delphine had always been gifted in the art of making her daughter feel small and pathetic, and today was no exception.

“I just figured it would be okay,” Eleanor muttered, feeling far too young and stupid for her age.

“Eleanor, you are still a child! I’m your mother and you need to ask me when you want to make plans! Did you even think about how your little carnival escapade would affect me?” There it was, the selfish reasoning behind the rare burst of maternal prowess. Suddenly, Eleanor didn’t feel at all guilty; instead, a careful anger spread through her slowly, twisting her faltered smile into sharp frown.

“And how does this affect you, mother?” she asked, raising her chin defiantly.

“I have plans this weekend! To paint! I need you here to do paint runs, obviously. You can never plan how inspiration will strike,” Delphine said, as though this was all very reasonable. Eleanor barely contained a scoff.

“So, you want me home, to do paint runs, on the _off chance_ you might get inspired? Does that cover it?” Eleanor asked, feeling a little feral.

“You’re my daughter! You are supposed to help me!” Delphine cried, tears glistening in her eyes. “I was practically a single mother for years! You’re old enough to help out now, but you never do!”

Eleanor really did scoff this time, which prompted Delphine to burst into loud sobbing. She could’ve been an actress, if she was ever sober.

“Do you hate me? Do you want to run off and live with your father? Is that it? Would you rather I died?!” Delphine wailed, dropping to her knees.

“I’m going upstairs, now, mother.” With that, Eleanor side stepped her mother and ran up the stairs, eager to escape the full-blown diva meltdown.

In the hour it took for Eleanor to finish her calculus homework, Delphine had quieted to a low sob: not ear-splitting but not easy to ignore either. It took hours for Delphine to calm down completely, so Eleanor figured it was safe to duck down into the kitchen to whip up a quick dinner.  

Delphine had set up her easel in the middle of the living room, and was painting with fervor, splashing dark red paint all over the carpet. She pointedly ignored her daughter, sniffing loudly as Eleanor passed.

Humming cheerfully, Eleanor began gathering ingredients for stir-fry. Delphine snuck what she thought were discreet looks, but she had the habit of letting every little emotion play across her face.

“If you want some, mother, just ask,” Eleanor told her, not bothering to look up from the pan.

“Well, if you would be so kind as to share with your poor mother, it’d be appreciated,” Delphine said sniffing loudly. Even so, Eleanor still doled out stir fry. Her mother snatched the plate up, and sat with a huff on the breakfast bar.

“I’m eating in my room, Mother,” Eleanor said, gathering her dinner. Delphine sniffed loudly, turning away from her daughter. Eleanor sighed, tired of the theatrics, and made her way up her room to finish the rest of her homework.

Saturday morning came with a sense of apprehension; Eleanor didn’t know if her mother was still going to pitch a fit at her going to the carnival. She got ready quickly, twisting her hair into something vaguely put together. The girl crept downstairs carefully, trying not to draw any attention. When she got the living room, however, it seemed her efforts were wasted. Delphine had passed out on the couch, empty martini glass hanging loosely from her fingers.

Eleanor left the house and headed to the library, planning to spend some time there before going to get the guys.

00000

The entire car ride over to the carnival, the guys insisted on telling high school hierarchy horror stories. Eleanor didn’t know what was worse, that the guys were so clearly exaggerating everything they said, or that she sort of believed them.

Rob and Rich were dressed pretty similarly, that was to say, a far cry from the suggested dress code of school colors. Hunter wore a black hoodie and a feral smile. Only Eleanor was clad in the prescribed blue and silver. Still, in a crowd of USGHS students, she felt out of place in her school sweater. When Rob shouldered his backpack, alarm bells went off in Eleanor’s head.

“Oh my god, you guys are going to prank someone!” she hissed, looking appropriately enraged. There went her entire plan of a peaceful, conflict free evening. Hunter threw his arm around her shoulders, and Eleanor momentarily lost her train of thought.

“Wait, no! You guys, that’s a horrible idea! I don’t know if you noticed, but no one actually likes your stupid little plans,” she said, shrugging his arm off. “Put the bag back!”

“Eleanor, sweet, naïve, Eleanor, how can we have any sort of fun if we can’t scare someone into wetting themselves? Think about it,” Rob told her, smarmy smile in place.

“Be cool dude! Chill out,” Rich added. Eleanor couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something truly horrible was going to happen.

“Just promise me there won’t be any sort of major damage,” Eleanor conceded. Hunter pulled her back into a one armed side hug, squeezing her tight.

“I promise! This is going to be kickass!” His smile was wolfish in a way that promised he was going to break her promise. There was no stopping this travesty, it seemed.

Looking back, Eleanor had to say she had a solid hour in which things were fun. They played games, Hunter won prizes for everyone, and everyone had enough cotton candy to single-handedly fund the marching band’s trip to Disney World.

Then, everything went to hell when the popular kids rolled in.

Natalie Wilson, accompanied by David Brook, led the pack, looking dangerously good. She was unequivocally the leader, calling all the shots. If there was one surefire way to be popular, it was to impress her.

Hunter stiffened when they came close to the cotton candy booth, surreptitiously stepping in front of the gang.

“Hi guys!” Eleanor said, craning around Hunter’s shoulder. Natalie regarded her with cold eyes.

“Eleanor, right?” she asked, cocking her head. The rest of her group exchanged incredulous looks and shuffled off.

“Yeah, I’m in your history class,” Eleanor explained, pleased at how nice this girl actually was.

“I know. I totally love your bracelet! Can I see it?” Natalie held her hand out, waiting. Eleanor scrambled to get her bracelet off and into her hand. Just as Natalie was admiring it, someone called her name, claiming her attention.

“Oh, shoot, I’ve got to go! Ciao!” Natalie blew kisses at everyone and ran off. It took Eleanor a moment to realize Natalie still had her bracelet.

“That little bitch just stole your bracelet!” Rob cried, once he’d seen her empty wrist.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean to, Rob, and I’m sure that when I let her know she still has it, she’ll hand it right over,” Eleanor reasoned, though she didn’t really believe that. They all stared after Natalie and her group, waiting for her to come back.

To Eleanor’s utter surprise, she slipped the bracelet onto her wrist and showed it off to her friends. Hunter snarled, low and animalistic, behind her.

“Permission to cause major damage?” he asked, through gritted teeth. Eleanor nodded silently, stunned at the blatant display of thievery, and the boys whooped excitedly.

“Come on! Let’s set up on the bridge!” Rob said, pulling on Eleanor and Hunter’s arms. They walked to the old Wilson Bridge just outside of school grounds, the one elementary school children dared not to go near and high school students loved to dare one another to go on. Luckily, no one was there, so Hunter, equipped with a fog machine, dropped to the bank of the river below. He set the machines up and turned them on, turning a beautiful bridge into an eerie looking death trap. Rob and Rich had little speakers they hid in the hollows of trees nearby, ready to play spooky forest sounds.

Apparently, decades ago, a young couple used the bridge as a date spot, until the boyfriend brought another girl there. The girlfriend, driven mad by jealousy, stalked the lover, hidden in the shadows, intent on confronting them at the end of their date. At least, that’s what she planned to do, until she saw the boyfriend give the other girl a special necklace that belonged to the girlfriend. Enraged, she ambushed the couple on the bridge and fought the girl for the necklace. In the struggle, the other girl was pushed into the river below, and drowned. The girlfriend then tore her boyfriend apart, using the necklace to claw him to death. Once her boyfriend was dead, the girlfriend slit her own throat, overtaken by grief.

Legend had it that the spirits of the three teens haunted the bridge to this day, breaking couples apart in gruesome ways.

Eleanor didn’t believe in ghost stories, or anything supernatural for that matter, but she had to admit, knowing the three murders had been real scared her a little. They boys, once they’d finished setting up, grabbed Eleanor to hide in the bushes. It wasn’t long before Natalie and David came to the bridge.

“How’d you know they’d come to the bridge tonight?” Eleanor whispered. Hunter grinned wickedly, and winked, but didn’t explain.

Natalie’s voice sounded tinny over the noise of the creek and the tape, but they could understand she was scared, and complaining to David about it. Hunter picked up a huge rock and got ready to throw it, nodding to Rich, who played a soundbite of a blood curdling scream. Eleanor clapped her hands over her ears, and Hunter tossed the rock into the water.

David and Natalie went completely still. Hunter turned to Eleanor, and handed her a big, chunky necklace.

“Wanna help?” Hunter looked sharply feral, bordering on terrifying, in a very “Norman Bates” kind of way, a sharp contrast to his normally sweet looks. Still, Eleanor found herself following silently, necklace clutched in hand.

“All you have to do is run at them, like you’re going to stab them with the necklace, and I’ll take the picture,” he explained. With that, Hunter left her standing on the end of the bridge, while he jumped across fallen branches to get to the other side. Eleanor watched in awe; she hadn’t know him to be so athletic and graceful. Once he was in position, he nodded to Eleanor and she ran, shrieking a little for emphasis.

Natalie and David both screamed, and David shoved Natalie out of the way to get off the bridge first. Hunter snapped the picture, howling with laughter.

“Oh my god, you freak!” Natalie snarled, launching herself at Hunter. He dodged her easily, still laughing, and snapped a few more pictures. Natalie whirled around to face David, who stood, dazed, and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Do something, you moron!” She shrieked, giving him a little shake. That seemed to pull David out of his shell and he turned to face Hunter, who pulled himself to his full height.

“What the fuck, you asshole?” He stepped into Hunter’s space, and for a moment, Hunter’s eyes went gold.

“What? You didn’t like my little trick?” Hunter asked, smirking broadly. Rob and Rich pulled themselves out of the bushes and rushed over, presumably to save Hunter from getting pulverized. David clearly couldn’t think of anything to say, because he reared back and swung at Hunter.

Amazingly, Hunter danced out of the way, grinning like this was what he wanted.

“Come on, man it’s not worth it,” Rich called, not daring to go near the impending fight.

“Fucking annihilate him man!” Rob screamed, eyes bight. Eleanor frowned but gave the boys a wide berth, just as she opened her mouth to say something, Natalie rounded on her, glowering.

“You think you’re funny, you little freak?” she hissed, towering over Eleanor. She stuck her hands on her hips, waiting, like she expected Eleanor to grovel. The charms on her bracelet swayed, and suddenly, Eleanor was over this whole thing. She grabbed Natalie’s wrist and tugged, trying to pry the bracelet off her wrist.

“What the hell?! Get off me!” Natalie cried, trying to twist away. The boys seemed not to notice their little spat, too intent on watching Hunter dodge punch after punch. Just as Eleanor yanked the bracelet off Natalie’s wrist, Hunter swung his fist, landing an impressive blow against David’s jaw. He stumbled back a little, clutching his jaw, but doubled his efforts by throwing himself at Hunter, catching the blonde boy around his waist and slamming him to the ground, hard.

Hunter growled, a sound far too low for his vocal range, and shoved David back, pulling himself to his feet. There was a long scratch along his cheekbone, oozing blood. Eleanor fastened the bracelet back around her wrist and scrambled away from Natalie, who, momentarily distracted by the fistfight, advanced on her suddenly.

David managed to sucker punch Hunter, who doubled over, groaning. He straightened up after a second and let his fist fly, hitting David in the chest and the face, sending him staggering back. Somehow, Eleanor managed to find herself in between the rails of the bridge and David, with no time to move away.

When he crashed into her, she barely felt the impact; all the pain came from the old, splintery railing of the bridge scrapping against her back. A scream ripped out of her as she fell, the roar of the wind and the water muffling the sound. Someone screamed her name, but she couldn’t tell who.

She hit the water hard, and sank fast, her heavy clothes weighing her down. She deeply regretted borrowing Hunter’s hoodie now, because it only seemed to pull her down. The current was particularly strong, and Eleanor flailed against it, trying to claw her way to the surface. She had to be caught on something, because nothing she did propelled her forwards. The current pulled her arms and legs painfully backwards, halting her movement even more.

Her lungs screamed at her to breathe, to open her mouth, but she didn’t, fighting the urge with all she had. The water, already dark, became darker and fuzzier as her vision slowly faded. Dimly, she realized this could be the end, and in that particular moment, she didn’t really care.

It was then that something broke through the surface, a dark, blurry mass headed straight for her. It collided with her and yanked her away from whatever she was caught on, pulling her up towards the surface.

As soon as her mouth cleared the water, she gasped in great lungful’s of air, sputtering and coughing all the while. To her surprise, it was Hunter who clutched her close, looking at her with scared eyes. His skin was almost blue with the cold, and his lips were a dark purple.

“Hey, hey, Eleanor, can you hear me? Are you okay?” he demanded, pulling her even closer. She nodded weakly, looping tired arms around Hunter. He swam them to the riverbank, where Rob and Rich stood waiting. As soon as she was on solid ground, they wrapped her in their jackets, looking terrified.

“Jesus Christ, are you okay?” Rich asked, squatting down next to her. Rob copied his movements, peering at her carefully.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” she answered, voice weak.

“You were down there a long time before Hunter jumped in. We thought we were too late,” Rob confessed, eyes wide with child-like terror.

“I’m okay, I promise,” Eleanor echoed herself, giving them a half smile. Hunter plopped down next to her, looping an arm around her shoulder.

“You see? This is why we don’t go to things like this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! Let me know what you thought!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the days following the carnival, which was now dubbed “The Incident: Part Two,” the boys were particularly nice to Eleanor. They listened to what she wanted to do, laughed at all her jokes, and never made fun of her when she did something dorky. Of course, everyone still hated them, but because David still had bruises and scars all over him, everyone gave them a wide berth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy update #3!

In the days following the carnival, which was now dubbed “The Incident: Part Two,” the boys were particularly nice to Eleanor. They listened to what she wanted to do, laughed at all her jokes, and never made fun of her when she did something dorky. Of course, everyone still hated them, but because David still had bruises and scars all over him, everyone gave them a wide berth.

On Thursday, Eleanor slid into her first class, a little late. No one had needed rides today, but then again, no one was there. Eleanor pulled her phone out discreetly, shooting everybody a text.

GROUP NAME: Hunter’s stable of hoes

ELEANOR: Hey, where are you guys? Are you not coming to school?

She stashed her phone quickly and turned her attention back to class. First period passed quietly, considering she had no one to talk to. Usually, she has Hunter in the next class, but no one’s texted her back, so Eleanor has no idea if any one’s coming.

It’s the middle of second period when her phone buzzed.

GROUP NAME: Hunter’s stable of hoes

ROB: Hey, me and Rich are at school, but Hunter’s not coming, he got sick.

ELEANOR: Okay! Hope you feel better Hunter!

No one answers after that, so Eleanor shoved her phone back in her pocket. The next few periods pass in silence, but Rob is one of her classes so it’s mostly okay. Unfortunately, they have a test that day, so Eleanor didn’t get to ask about Hunter and why they were late.

Finally, during lunch, she got to see the guys. Eleanor settled at their usual table, tray in front of her. She smiled at the guys when they got there, and was given tired smiles in return.

“Hey! So what happened? Where were you guys this morning?” she asked. Rob and Rich exchanged unsure looks.

“We… got held up?” It came out like a question, making Rich wince.

“Held up doing what?” Rich and Rob shared looks again.

“We were just doing some research, for an English project we have,” Rob explained. “It’s sort of an extra credit thing.”

“Oh, okay. What happened to Hunter? Did he get sick?” Rich shrugged at that.

“Yeah, probably, we were hanging out last night and he looked pretty awful,” he said. He dug into his lunch, stuffing his face. Eleanor frowned, but stayed silent.

Weird.

00000

Friday was normal, no one missing at least, but the group glossed over any questions Eleanor had, not matter how innocent they were.

Whatever, she thought, it doesn’t matter. If it did, they’d tell her. The weekend passed pretty normally, with everybody getting together to watch one of many “classic” horror movies Eleanor had never seen.

Sunday night, however, something truly odd happened. She was over at the Sands house, helping Hunter with the homework he’d missed during the week. They’d finished up, and Eleanor shot a text to her mother letting her know that she was headed back. It went unanswered, of course, but it wasn’t like Eleanor expected anything else.

Hunter walked her outside, helping carry her books, which was odd in itself, but not the point.

“Hey, so listen, I think I dropped my flash drive somewhere in your car when you took me home on Friday,” Hunter started, pulling open her car door. He dumped the books onto the seat. “You haven’t seen it, have you? It has all the pictures of the carnival on it.”

“Uh, maybe? We can look for it, if you want,” Eleanor told him, pulling up her phone’s flashlight app.

Hunter didn’t respond though, he just stood frozen, staring at the house across the street, face slowly draining.     

“Yo! Hunter, what’s wrong?” she asked, only to get no response. Eleanor started to walk over to him, which must’ve jarred him back to reality, because he grabs her roughly by the upper arm and all but drags her inside, still with no explanation.

Eleanor got dragged all the way to Hunter’s room, and deposited roughly on the bed, before he whirled around like a chaotic tornado, closing windows and blinds, yelling for his dad. Mr. Sands ran up immediately, eying the situation wearily.

“Paulina,” Hunter declared, like that explained everything. Eleanor was too frightened to say anything, to question Hunter’s behavior, so she stayed silent, curling in on herself. Off-handedly, she heard her phone ping, signaling a text back from her mother.

Mr. Sands only stood there, gaping at his son, before crossing over to him fast, gripping him by the shoulders.

“Hunter, I need you to be absolutely certain. I need you to tell me exactly what you saw out there,” Mr. Sands instructed, staring fiercely at his son.

“I’m positive, dad. I was out on the driveway, and I looked over and there she was, only she didn’t look right, like she didn’t even look vaguely human, but I’m one hundred percent sure it was her, I swear,” Hunter recounted, Eleanor momentarily forgotten. She took a deep breath and steeled herself to talk.

“Um, what’s going on?” The question came out much weaker than she’d intended, but they heard it all the same. Mr. Sands looked at her, an uncertain smile on his face.

“Eleanor, I think it might be best if I drive you home tonight. You can leave your car here and Hunter will pick you up for school tomorrow,” he said slowly, like she was a small child.

“I’m not sure I understand, sir, but what exactly is happening?” She tried again. Hunter and his dad exchanged looks quickly, much subtler than Rob and Rich could ever hope to be.

“E, you have to trust me, okay,” Hunter said, coming to sit by her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “A few years ago, this lady stalked my family, and I’m pretty sure I saw her again tonight, so I don’t you going home alone tonight. Is your mom at home?” Eleanor pulled her phone out to check.

MOTHER: I’n nmot hone rihggt now, wont be fro a wihle

Eleanor stared at the gibberish on her phone screen for a second before sighing.

“No, she’s gone. Probably partying with her friends, from the looks of this,” she mumbled, embarrassed. Mr. Sands was regarding her with soft, sympathetic eyes that only made her burn with secondhand embarrassment for her mother.

“Alright, Hunter, this is your turf, so you do what’s right. Just keep me posted,” Mr. Sands said, scrubbing a hand over his face. “I’m going to go call Jordan. Goodnight kids, stay safe.” With that, he left, closing the door gently behind him.

“Now what? Do we call the police?” Eleanor asked, not quite sure how to feel. Hunter shrugged.

“Nah, I don’t think so. I don’t want you to go out alone though,” he answered, frowning a little.

“So, what do we do?” she repeated. Hunter ran his hands through his hair, pensive.

“Jesus, this is like… ugh, Jordan would know what to do,” he muttered, mostly to himself.

“Your sister?”

“Yeah, she’s way better at plans than I am. Mine kind of… end badly,” he explained, a sheepish little smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “I used to be the king of this sort of stuff, but she really stepped up, I guess.”

“I need to get home, just in case my mom decides to come home. She can’t be trusted to take care of herself,” Eleanor started. “I guess we just do what your dad said.”

“But what if you’re mom doesn’t show up?” Hunter countered.

“It’s not like I’ve never been home alone overnight, Hunter. And besides, I’ll double-lock all the doors.” Eleanor stood, waiting for Hunter to come along.

“Alright, listen, how about this: I stay over at your place tonight, just until your mom comes home, and we can just get a jump on the carpool for tomorrow,” Hunter offered, winning smile in place. Eleanor blinked, surprised.

“Hunter, man, I don’t know. If my mom found out I let a guy stay the night—“

“Just for protection!” he interjected, cheeks pink.

“Still. And besides, would your dad even be cool with that?” she finished, crossing her arms. Hunter nodded, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

“He told me to do what I felt was right, and leaving you by yourself sounds like the opposite of right to me,” he explained, cheeks going redder still. Eleanor could feel her own face heating in tandem, even though Hunter had made it clear this was a friendly visit.

“Okay, fine, but hurry up, it’s getting late,” Eleanor conceded, pulling her hair into a messy little ponytail. Hunter grinned a little, and began stuffing his backpack with supplies. Eleanor waited for him at the door to his room, trying to convince herself that was rational Hunter behavior.

Finally, when they were both ready, and Hunter had called a quick goodbye to his dad, they made their way to her car, stopping to pick up her fallen things. Hunter scanned the street carefully, before getting into the passenger seat.

They drove in silence, with Eleanor sneaking looks at Hunter every so often. He stared out the windows intently, eyes going gold from what Eleanor assumed was the glow of the street lamps.

They pulled up to find the house empty, no surprise there. Eleanor fumbled with the keys, hands shaking with unexplained nerves.

“Sorry, I, the keys are just being difficult,” she mumbled. Hunter mumbled something unintelligible, but she managed to get the door opened before she could ask him to clarify.

“Do you want, I mean, can I, like, get you something to drink? Or like, to eat?” She leaned against the counter, gripping it surreptitiously. Hunter shook his head, giving her a little smile.

“I’m good,” he assured her. They hung around the kitchen a little, alternating between staring that the floor and sneaking looks at each other. Hunter sighed, and huffed out a little laugh.

“This is getting ridiculous, you want to just go upstairs? You can just grab me a sleeping bag and we can just go to bed,” Hunter said, charming little smile in place. Eleanor laughed, and nodded.

“Yeah, sounds good! Let me go grab the sleeping bag and you can just meet me upstairs, my bedroom is the first door to the right of the stairs.” Hunter nodded, and headed up the stairs. Eleanor grabbed the sleeping bag from the linen closet just off the kitchen, along with some snacks, and followed after.

When she got up there, she found Hunter looking around her room, walking slowly along her wall.

“Hey,” she said, announcing her presence. Hunter turned, grinning.

“I like your posters, man, very nerdy,” he teased, gesturing to her eclectic collection of posters. There were several of her favorite TV shows represented, along with various bands and artists she enjoyed.

“Oh, please, like yours are any better,” she shot back, referring to his large collection of horror movie posters.

“Mine are way cooler and you know it,” he argued playfully, stepping closer. Eleanor followed suit, until they were an arm’s length apart.

“You keep telling yourself that, buddy,” she said, reaching up to pat his shoulder. She side stepped him, and plopped down on the bed, tossing the sleeping bag to the ground.

“Want to watch a movie? Before we go to bed?” Eleanor asked, pulling her laptop into her lap. Hunter settled down next to her, the both of them nestled against the headrest and each other. Eleanor opened Netflix up, and she Hunter flickered through the selection, laughing at some of the more cringe-worthy movies.

Finally, they picked something to watch, balancing the laptop between their laps. Halfway through the movie, Eleanor’s head fell against Hunter’s shoulder, prompting him to wrap an arm around her. Eventually, they fell asleep like that, wrapped up in each other, Eleanor slipping down to rest against Hunter’s chest, syncing their breath.

00000

Eleanor woke to the alarm blaring very, very loudly. She couldn’t get it, though, because apparently she’d wrapped her duvet around herself too tightly. Eleanor struggled a little with it, but couldn’t manage to break free.

Weird.

Weirder still, the duvet started _mumbling._

“What the hell…” she mumbled, squirming to face whatever it was holding her hostage.

Hunter Sands was wrapped tight around her like an anaconda, snoring. Eleanor stilled entirely, just staring at him, well, as much as she could considering the way he held her. She was cuddled close against his chest, head almost tucked under his chin. Their legs were entangled, so that there were barely any parts of her Hunter wasn’t in contact with.

Weirdest of all, it was all very _nice._

She was warm in a way that went all the way down her body. Hunter was pretty much a furnace, radiating heat and rumbling as he snored. He made a pretty amazing pillow, in all actuality. It was then, however, when Hunter started waking. He stirred a little, yanking her closer and nuzzling into her hair, humming a little.

“Hunter,” she tried, voice raspy from lack of use. He gave no response, only burying his nose deeper in her hair.

“Hunter, it’s time for school,” she muttered, pushing his shoulder a little.

“No, five more minutes,” he whined quietly, tightening his grip on her even more. Eleanor squirmed harder.

“Dude, I have to pee, let me up,” she said, managing to shove her way out of one arm. “Hunter!”

That seemed to do it, because Hunter jolted awake, and pulled away from her like he’d been burned. He stared up at her, eyes wide and cheeks pink, embarrassment heavy in the air.

“Oh! Jesus, I’m so sorry, Eleanor, I totally spaced and fell asleep right here when—“

“It’s fine, so long as we’re not late for school. Come on, we have to get moving!” With that, the two teens quickly got ready for the day, careful not to look at each other. Eleanor couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye, and refused to try. Hunter, however, kept sneaking glances at her, turning bright red every time she caught him.

The drive to school was pretty silent, Rob and Rich interjecting occasionally when the silence was too much to bare.

First, second, and third periods were pretty much the same: awkward, embarrassed silence. In fourth period, however, Hunter asked for a pencil when his ran out of lead, so things were looking up. Around lunch time, however, he’d talked to her again, like this morning hadn’t happened. They chattered about this week's calculus test, and how unfair it was that they were being tested over three chapters, instead of the usual two. Rob and Rich watched them with knowing eyes, smirking at each other. Hunter seemed to catch on, though, and leveled them with a look.

Things went back to normal after that.

After school, Eleanor stood at her locker, piling things into her backpack, trying to remember what she’d forgotten. Just then, a soft sniffling noise caught her attention. She looked around the hallway, confused. She was the only one there, she thought. Then, she noticed a pair of expensive looking pink sneakers stick out from the small alcove at the end of the hall. She approached it carefully.

Natalie Wilson sat huddled against the alcove, tear soaked mascara dripping down her cheeks. Her usually gorgeous curls were greasy looking and saggy. She scowled up at Eleanor, but there was no fire in her expression.

“What do you want, Davis?” she asked, voice rough with tears. Instantly, Eleanor simply stared at her, unsure of what to say.

“Um, have you been crying?” she asked, albeit a little lamely. Natalie scoffed, though it lacked it usual crispness.

“Clearly,” she answered bitterly. “Want to take a few shots at me? Make fun of me?” It sounded terribly tempting, the power she could hold over Natalie. Eleanor had decided she didn’t like her after the fair, and taking a little revenge sounded good. There was something in Natalie’s expression, however that stopped her. She looked small and unsure, bracing herself to be hurt again.

“You look like Sméagol,” she blurted out. Eleanor clapped a hand over her mouth, surprised. Natalie looked at her in confusion.

“Who?” Eleanor shook her head, and held a hand out, meaning to help Natalie up.

“Never mind,” she said. Natalie took her hand carefully and hauled herself up. She smoothed down her clothes and patted her hair self-consciously.

“Thanks.”

“Sure. Do you need a ride?” Natalie blinked at her, a little surprised. She smiled, though, a cautious closed-mouth thing.  

“Yeah, thanks.” She swiped the tears off her face, wiping the rest of her makeup off in the process. She looked more human like this, Eleanor decided.

The girls made awkward conversation all the way to the car, where Hunter, Rob, and Rich stood, arms crossed, identical scowls on all their faces.

“Hey guys, you know Natalie,” Eleanor said, unlocking the car. Natalie slid gracefully into the front seat before the guys even had a minute to fight over who got shotgun. Before Eleanor could climb into the car, Hunter pulled her aside, dragging her away from the car.

“What’s going on?” he demanded. “What is she doing her?”

“She needed a ride,” Eleanor told him simply. It felt wrong to explain anymore, like she was betraying Natalie or something.

“What, are you guys friends now?” Hunter scoffed. “Are you forgetting she shoved you into the river last week?”

“No, I still remember.” Her voice was cold, and left no room for argument. Hunter deflated, looking at her in concern.

“No one wants you to get hurt,” he admitted, looking at her imploringly. She smiled softly.

“It’s just a ride,” she reminded him. “Don’t worry.”

The car ride was awkward, and the boys went out of their way to be mean to Natalie. She gave as good as she got however, snarking right back. Eleanor stayed quiet, scared to talk. She dropped Hunter off second to last.

“Text me when you get home,” he told her, stooping low to peer through her window. He gave Natalie one more frown and left, walking up his drive and disappearing inside.

“Why do you hang out with those guys?” Natalie asked, once they were on the way home. It turned out that Natalie only lived a few houses down from her.

“Why did you steal my bracelet?” Eleanor fired back. Natalie blush, red staining her caramel colored skin.

“It was a dare. We knew you were the new kid, so they dared me to take something from you,” she admitted. “Sorry.” Eleanor burst out laughing, amused at the simplicity of the apology. It held weight though, and rang with sincerity.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“This is me,” Natalie said, nodding in the direction of her house. “Thanks for the ride!”

“See you,” Eleanor called as Natalie headed out of the car. She walked over to Eleanor’s window, like Hunter had done.

“I really am sorry, though. It was shitty of me to take your bracelet, even for a dare. And I’m sorry for the fight on the bridge.” Eleanor blinked up at her, taken aback.

“I… yeah, I’m sorry too, for scaring you.” Natalie beamed at her.

“We’re cool.” With that, she headed inside and Eleanor followed suit, taking the time to park in the garage this time. She wandered into the kitchen, feeling lighter than she had in ages.

00000

The week passed by slowly, the gang suffering from tests and quizzes and projects. They had a few study sessions at Rob and Rich’s place. It turned out that they were step brothers to be, because Rob’s mom was marrying Rich’s dad. Eleanor couldn’t tell who was more excited about the impending union, the boys or Mr. Dean and Ms. Haverfield.

Tonight, they were hanging out at the Sands house, struggling through chemistry. They sat in Hunter’s room, textbook and flashcards interspersed amongst Hunter’s gory movie props. Eleanor had intestines draped over her shoulders like a feather boa, Rich played with a bloody rubber brain, Rich had something that looked like a liver in his hands, and Hunter tossed a heart up and down.

“Okay, there’s only so much acid-base equilibria that I can take,” Rich complained. “Let’s take a break and do something.”

“I agree. If I see another hydrogen ion again, I’m going to scream.” Rob concurred. Hunter yawned, accidently dropping the heart.

“We could watch a movie or something?” Eleanor offered. Her phone chimed then, signaling a text.

NATALIE WILSON: Hey! I’m having a party tonight; do you want to swing by? If you’re not busy. You could bring your friends if you want

ELEANOR DAVIS: Yeah, we’re all studying together, but I think we could use a break. Let me see what the guys say.

“Okay, so I just got invited to a party,” Eleanor announced, trying to keep her composure. She’d always wanted to be invited to a high school party; this was like every clichéd dream she’d ever had coming true. Hunter rolled his eyes.

“By Natalie? Are you leaving?” he asked darkly. Eleanor frowned at him. Leave it to Hunter to ruin a good thing.

“She asked if you guys wanted to come too,” she informed him, something akin to anger boiling low in her gut. Hunter softened a little. Rob and Rich smirked at each other.

“Well, I’m in,” Rob decided, pulling himself to his feet. “What about the rest of you.” Rich nodded, running a hand through his hair.

“Do I look okay?” Hunter laughed, a hollow sound. “You look fine.”

“Come on, let’s get a move on!” Eleanor couldn’t quite place what was wrong, but she didn’t care; she was determined to have a good time. The three of them headed out, Eleanor in the lead. After a minute, Hunter came thundering down the stairs, sheepish expression on his face.

“I’m not hanging out by myself,” he explained, running a hand through his hair. “Dad! We’re headed out! We’ll be back later! I’ll text you!”

“Okay, Hunter! Text me!” Mr. Sands answered back. “Bye, kids!”

Eleanor shot a quick text to her mother, sure she wasn’t going to get a reply. They piled into her car and took off, boys hooting excitedly. Hunter sat in the front seat, frowning at the radio station.

“Want to pick the music?” Eleanor asked. He shook his head, silent for a moment.

“What’s the deal with you and Natalie? Why is she being nice all the sudden?” he asked, looking at her intently.

“We talked. Things are cool with us now,” Eleanor explained. Still, she was a little weary. Even though she was thrilled beyond thrilled for a chance to go to a real high school party, she was a touch apprehensive. It felt a bit like a set up.

“She could be setting you up,” Hunter echoed her thoughts.

“I hope not. If she doesn’t, then we can be friends with her, but if she does, then screw her,” Eleanor told him simply. Still, Hunter didn’t seem convinced. Either way, it was too late to chicken out now; they were parking outside Natalie’s house.

_Here we go,_ Eleanor thought. Neither she nor the boys noticed a streak of black whiz past the house, moving too fast to be human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It didn’t take long to get to the party. Eleanor parked a little ways up the street, past all the other cars. Together, the four of them made their way up the house, Eleanor wrapped her arms around herself self-consciously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! This is the last of the rapid fire updates, so for chapter 5 onward, I'll be updating every Sunday. Enjoy the chapter! Trigger warning for attempted sexual assault

It didn’t take long to get to the party. Eleanor parked a little ways up the street, past all the other cars. Together, the four of them made their way up the house, Eleanor wrapped her arms around herself self-consciously.

The house seemed to vibrate with the music, the base thumping so loud Eleanor could feel it in her chest. Hunter winced a little, rubbing his ears a little. Rob and Rich rushed ahead, excitedly running their hands through their hair.

Inside, the music pulsed even louder. A haze of smoke drifted lazily through the living room, catching the light from the low-lit lamps. It was like a scene from a bad chick flick, red cups everywhere, drunk teens stumbling around each other.

“Eleanor! You made it! Hey, girl!” Natalie rushed up, swaying a little. Her cheeks were flushed, hair slightly mussed.

“I, yeah, we figured we’d stop by,” she said. Rob and Rich peeled off, mingling. Hunter hovered close by, looking awkward. He must not have been invited to many parties, Eleanor figured.

“Awesome! Okay, well, drinks are in the kitchen, there’s like pizza and chips too, so like, help yourself,” she said, though it came out a slur. A couple people called out to her, so she stumbled away, leaving Eleanor and Hunter to their own devices.

“Great party,” he said, sarcastic. Eleanor rolled her eyes.

“You could at least try to have a little fun,” she suggested. “Maybe grab a drink?”

“I don’t drink.”

“No, of course not,” she grumbled. “Okay, well, I’m going to have fun. Believe it or not, I’ve actually never been to one of these before.” With that she walked off, determined to have a good time. Drunk classmates, Eleanor decided, where a lot nicer than sober classmates. For one, no one sneered at her, which was nice. Maybe it was a free pass from Natalie.

In the kitchen, some kids were mixing drinks, and as soon as she stepped in, someone pressed a cup into her hands. It’s contents was a bright red, like fruit punch. She took a careful sip. It was sweet, though it burned on the way down.

Eleanor drained it, loving the way it scorched through her. Someone handed her another cup, and another when that one ran dry. People laughed around her, cheering as she threw them back.

Soon she found herself enveloped in someone’s arms, laughing along with the crowd at the drinking game in front of them. She couldn’t quite tell what game it was, her vision fuzzy around the edges.

Eventually, she was pulled away, out of the kitchen, and lead down to a dark hallway. She felt weightless, like the ground didn’t really exist. Something solid hit her back, and heavy arms trapped her where she stood. Eleanor blinked trying to get her bearings. There was a boy in front of her, leering down with a hungry look in his eyes.

He ducked in closer, but she didn’t want that. Eleanor squirmed away, but he wouldn’t let her, grabbing her chin roughly with one hand.

“No, I, no, get off, wait,” she slurred, slipping against the wall. The boy stepped in closer, holding her chin tightly.

Suddenly, he was gone, and Eleanor was left slumping against the wall. They boy groaned, splayed flat on his back, clutching his jaw. Hunter stood next to him, eyes _literally_ flashing. Eleanor frowned, squinting. His eyes, were, like, golden or something.

“Are you okay?” Hunter asked, rushing over to her when he noticed her looking. His eyes settled back into his usual green. 

“I…” It was hard to talk, hard to get her mouth to move right. Hunter gently took her arm, guiding her carefully from the wall.

“Come on, E, let’s get you home,” he said. Eleanor gripped his arm, leaning heavily against him. After a few steps, Hunter gave up, and gathered her up completely in his arms. He gracefully maneuvered them out of the hallway and out the back door, setting her down on the swing.

“Hang out here for a minute, okay. I’m going to get you some water, I’ll be right back,” he said. Eleanor leaned her head against the back of the swing, breathing in the soothingly cool air. Nausea bubbled up through her system, clawing up through her throat.

“Hey, got you some wat—oh, shit!” Hunter grimaced, suddenly faced with a shoe full of puke. Eleanor pulled herself back up, swiping her mouth.

“Sorry, I’m sorry,” she apologized, winced at the rancid taste in her mouth. Hunter shrugged, staring down at his feet.

“Nah, that’s… okay. I’m just gonna clean this up, grab the guys, I guess. Be right back.” With that, Hunter left again. At least the nausea had passed. It was then she noticed the bottle of water he’d left out for her. Smiling, she took a cautious sip and rinsed out her mouth. When her mouth didn’t taste like a toxic waste dump, she gulped some water down.

Finally, Hunter and the boys reappeared, Rob and Rich plopping down on either side of her.

“Here, E, hand me your keys, I’ll get the car. You guys wait here,” Hunter offered. She obliged, fishing out the keys from her pocket.

“Cool, I’ll be right back. Yo, watch her.” That, he directed at the boys. Rich snickered, throwing an arm around Eleanor.

“Sure man,” he said. “Christ, E, what happened?”

“Had some fruit punch,” she mumbled. “Some guy tried to kiss me, wasn’t great.” The smile slipped off both their faces.

“What?” Rich asked.

“When? Who?” Rob demanded. Eleanor shrugged, slumping closer to Rich.

“Jeez, alright. Hunter got him?” She nodded, thinking back to the image of him, angry, fists out and eyes flashing.

“His eyes are kind of… weird right?” she asked. The boys exchanged worried looks.

“No, I mean, not really, they’re just like, what are they, Rob, like blue? Green, maybe?”

“Yeah, something like that, just like a normal type of color.” Rob agreed. Eleanor frowned but didn’t respond. Huh.

They sat silent for a while, until Hunter came back for them.

“What’s up?” he said, noticing the weird silence. Eleanor staggered up, grabbing Hunter by the shoulders.

“Let me see your eyes,” she demanded, cupping his face. Heat bloomed under her fingers as Hunter went slowly red.

“Okay, you’re still drunk, come on.” He led her to the car, helping her into the front seat. Hunter was a pretty good driver, getting them home quickly. They parked in front of her house, sitting quietly.

“You alright? Things got… pretty ugly back there.” Eleanor frowned, shrugged. Honestly, she wasn’t sure how she felt. Her head was buzzing.

“Okay. Is your mom home?” Again, Eleanor shrugged.

“Do you want me to stick around? I’ll sleep on the couch, if you want,” he offered.

“If you want,” she said. Eleanor got out of the car, teetering a little uncertainly. She felt… weird. Her skin burned where the boy touched her, and embarrassment rushed through her. Suddenly, she didn’t want Hunter to stay, worried what he would think. Her cheeks burn, and worst of all, tears blur her vision.

“Hey, E, hey it’s okay,” Hunter said, from somewhere close by. His arms were heavy around her, and she couldn’t help the way she flinched. He dropped his arms fast, taking a careful step back.

“I just need a minute,” she mumbled. As hard as she tries to fight it, she can’t the tears that drip down her cheeks. “I don’t even know why I’m crying, nothing even happened, and I just…”

“Hey, no, it’s okay. You had a really bad scare tonight,” Hunter said softly. Eleanor swiped angrily at her cheeks. She was fine, everything was fine. After a moment, she and Hunter went inside.

True to his word, he stayed on the couch, and Eleanor actually felt a little bit better knowing he was there. Once she’d brushed her teeth and downed a couple glasses of water, she settled into bed, checking her phone.

There were a few incoherent texts from her mother, informing her that either she was drunk at a party or high at an art studio. There are a few from Natalie too, asking her where she went and if everything was okay.

Eleanor’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure of what to type out.

ELEANOR: I’m fine. Things got intense, so we headed out. No big deal.

NATALIE: Oh! What happened??

Eleanor frowned, unsure of whether to tell her or not. The typing bubbles popped up on her side of the conversation, then disappeared. She guessed neither of them knew what to say.

ELEANOR: Can I talk to you Monday morning? At school?

NATALIE: Sure! Meet me by the art hallway before class starts

ELEANOR: Sure.

With that, she shut her phone off and settled into a restless sleep.

00000

The next morning, Eleanor woke to a blistering headache. Her throat was parched, and the sunlight streaming through her window made her eyes burn. Still, she stumbled through her morning routine, heading downstairs when the dizziness passed.

Hunter was still sprawled across the couch, face peaceful. His expressiveness was one of his best qualities, how his face shifted to play out every little emotion he felt.

“Hey,” she said softly, touching his shoulder. Hunter stirred, blinking up at her blearily. A slow smile spreads over his face. Eleanor walked into the kitchen, pulling out ingredients. There was a little bit of pancake mix left, enough for the two of them.

“Need a hand?” he asked, pulling himself up. Eleanor gestured to the second pan she laid out, handing him a package of bacon. Together, they cooked in a peaceful silence, but the set of Hunter’s jaw suggested he had something to say.

“Okay,” Eleanor started, flipping a pancake. The butter hissed on the pan, mingling with the sizzle of the bacon. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Hunter answered, far too casually. “Okay, yeah, I’m just a little surprised, I guess.”

“About what?”

“You’re taking things really well,” he admitted cautiously. “Do you want to… talk?”

“About what?” Eleanor repeated, although she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about. Honestly, she wasn’t sure what she felt. She doesn’t really remember much, just the feeling of being trapped.

“E…” Hunter looked at helplessly, lost for words.

“I’m fine, honestly.” She was, she thought. Nothing happened, so everything was fine.

“Okay, but if you decide later that you want talk, or say anything, I’m here.” There was one thing weighing on her mind.

“Do you remember who he was?” she asked, hating the way her voice seemed to shrink. Hunter sighed heavily, eyes downcast.

“No, I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t recognize him. Everything happened so fast, and he got out of there kind of quick, and honestly I was more focused on you.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Eleanor drew her arms around herself, chewing on her bottom lip. Hunter looked at her with pity. It made her feel a little pathetic.

“I’m fine,” she assured him. Anything to get that look off his face.

“Okay,” he said, hands up placatingly.

“Okay,” she repeated, feeling defensive suddenly. “Hey, you should probably head home, your dad’s probably wondering where you are.”

“Oh.” Hunter looked surprised, as if he’d forgotten all about his dad. “Uh, yeah, sure. Um, call me you need anything.”

“Yeah,” she mumbled. A thought occurred to her. “Do you need a ride? We took my car.” Hunter flushed, smiled at her sheepishly.

“That’s be great.”

00000

The whole incident took a backseat for the rest of the weekend, because her mother spent a rare weekend home. Eleanor spent the rest of Saturday, and most of Sunday alternating between doing her homework and minding her mom.

Monday morning, however, Eleanor was reminded in full force, standing in the art hallway, waiting for Natalie to show.

“Hey!” Natalie hurried around the corridor. She looked flawless, dark hair in full, bouncy curls around her shoulders. Eleanor felt more than a little self-conscious, and suddenly, her will to share wilted.

“Hey,” Eleanor mumbled, smiling weakly.

“So, what’s up? What happened Saturday night?” Eleanor took a deep breath.

“Um, did you happen to see who I was with? At the party? I was… drinking, and I don’t remember,” she explained. To her absolute horror, tears sprang up in her eyes.

“Oh! Oh my god, what happened? Did something bad happen?”

“No!” It came out terribly defensive. Eleanor and Natalie stared at each other, both a little taken aback.

“Eleanor,” Natalie started, her voice uncertain.

“Um, you know what, I’m actually going to go, I just remembered there was homework I didn’t get done,” she lied.

“Wait, hang on! Whatever happened, I’ll help,” Natalie said, reaching out for Eleanor. She stopped, feeling strange and off-kilter. She’d wanted to say something about what happened, but the words didn’t quite make it out.

“Things got… out of hand,” she explained, running a hand through her short, black locks. “There was a guy, and I guess he tried to kiss me, I don’t remember much, but I know I didn’t want it to happen.”

“Did you and Hunter fight or something? Or break up?” Natalie asked, guiding her into the girls room. Immediately, Eleanor blushed.

“What? Hunter and I aren’t—no way!” Although even she had to admit that her friendship with Hunter was a bit odd. Buds didn’t cuddle with each other.

“Oh! I just thought, like, you hang out a lot, I just assumed—whatever, never mind. Here, I have my yearbook, we can see if you remember whoever it was.” Natalie fished through her backpack for the yearbook, flipping it open to last years sophomore class. “You were the only transfer kid this year.”

The girls scanned each boy’s picture until the warning bell rang, singling that students only had five minutes to get to their homerooms.

“I’ll catch you at lunch or something,” Natalie said, stashing her yearbook. “We’ll play detective then.”

“Hey, Natalie?” Eleanor stopped her on the way out. “Thanks for helping me.” Natalie smiled at her, bright and beautiful.

“Girls have to stick together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought and I'll see you guys on Sunday!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first half of the morning passed without event, though Eleanor did keep an eye out for her unknown attacker. She never saw him, but that might have been because of the boys’ best efforts to keep her mind off the whole ordeal. Really, it was sweet of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so now, we're on a regular posting schedule! Enjoy the next chapter, but mind the warning for discussion of attempted sexual assault.

The first half of the morning passed without event, though Eleanor did keep an eye out for her unknown attacker. She never saw him, but that might have been because of the boys’ best efforts to keep her mind off the whole ordeal. Really, it was sweet of them.

On the way to lunch, Rob chattered excitedly about a new video game that was coming out, but Eleanor found she had limited patience when it came to violent, obscure video games.

“Eleanor!” Natalie beamed at her from the center table of the cafeteria, waving animatedly. “Come and sit with us!” The rest of the table was occupied by cheerleaders, some smiling in her direction, others looking down at their phones.

“Oh! Hey guys, I think I’m going to sit with Nat today,” Eleanor said. Hunter scowled immediately.

“Nat? You’re calling her Nat now? When did you guys become BFF’s?” he sneered. Rich raised an eyebrow.

“Usually, Hunter has an extreme bias towards the cool kids, but I sort of agree with him. Why the sudden change?” Rich asked. At least he didn’t look mad. Rob, on the other hand, looked ecstatic.

“Cheerleaders! Dude, if you’re all buddy-buddy with them now, do you think you can score me a date?” he asked, already lost in a cheerleader filled dreamworld. Eleanor frowned.

“I’m not all buddy-buddy all of the sudden. Natalie just feels bad about what happened. She’s probably just trying to be nice,” Eleanor explained. Hunters scoffed, sitting forcefully in his place.

“Whatever. Call us when you’re done playing in the dream house,” he said. “Or not.”

Eleanor couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How dare Hunter get upset at her? It wasn’t like she was abandoning them, it was just lunch! Natalie probably wanted to go through her yearbook again. Somehow, it felt embarrassing to tell Hunter and the boys what she actually doing with Natalie.

“Whatever,” Eleanor echoed. “Call _me_ when you’re done being crazy.” With that, Eleanor gathered her things and moved purposefully over to the popular table.

“Hi,” she greeted them. There was a chorus of half-hearted hello’s back. A few girls slumped over, putting their heads on their arms. They looked particularly pale.

“What’s wrong?” Eleanor whispered to Natalie.

“Hell, if I know,” she answered, frowning at her squad. “They went to some crazy party last night, and now they’re probably super hung over.”

“Woah, a party on a school night?” Though she did live in Manhattan, she’d never seen any high schooler party on a school night before.

“I know, right? So stupid. All I know is, if they’re not ready for practice after school, they can kiss their spots on the squad goodbye!” Natalie directed her last words to the trio of girls passed out. One reached up to rub her neck but offered no acknowledgement. “Whatever. So, I was thinking about it and I figured it out!”

“What? You did?” Eleanor felt a sense of apprehension rise in her stomach. Maybe it was best she didn’t know. Maybe it was best she put this whole mess behind her. She looked over to her table, catching Hunter’s eye. He looked down immediately, face going pink.

“Yeah. It’s probably someone who doesn’t go here, or one of my brother’s college friends! We’ll throw another party and we can stake it out, try and catch this sleazebag—”

“Natalie, maybe we should just forget this,” Eleanor interrupts, feeling far too self-conscious. It may have been a game to Natalie, but it was real to her.

“Oh! I just thought, like, it would be important, you know? Stop this kind of thing from happening to anybody else,” Natalie said sheepishly. Eleanor softened.

“Of course, it is. I just want to take a break, you know? Figure my head out,” she explained. Natalie nodded.

“I totally get it.” She ran a hand through her perfect raven locks. “Sort of the same thing happened to me last year.”

“Really?” Eleanor was shocked. It seemed hard to believe that such a strong, confident girl could be forced to do anything she didn’t want to.

“Well,” Natalie dropped her voice. “Not exactly the same. I was at this party, and there were these guys there. They were all cool and older and mysterious, all pale and dressed in black. I was talking to one of them, some European guy, and he kept getting me drinks. The next morning, I woke up all alone, in this bed I had no idea who’s it was. So, I totally get it, it’s terrifying.”

“Shit, Natalie, that’s awful!” Eleanor said, horrified. She seemed to be taking things far too lightly.

“The weird thing was that I wasn’t even naked. Like I honestly don’t think I had sex that night. There were these hickeys all over my neck though.” She stopped talking abruptly, ducking her head. “This is way too much to be telling someone in a school cafeteria.”

“No, I get it. It’s good to talk about things like this with someone who might understand,” Eleanor assured her.

“Yeah,” Natalie chuckled awkwardly. “Let’s talk about something else.”

With that, the rest of lunch passed with casual conversation. Natalie asked her where she got her jeans, Eleanor complimented Natalie’s skirt. After the period was up, they helped the exhausted cheerleaders up and walked, all together, to the academic hallways.

Grinning, Eleanor made her way to her sixth period class, feeling lighter than she had. She sat in her usually spot, in between Hunter and Rob.

“So?” Rob asked excitedly when she sat down. “How were the cheerleaders?”

“Tired, I guess. Apparently, a ton of them went partying on a school night! Can you believe that?” Eleanor said. Rob sighed dreamily.

“I wish I could party with cheerleaders on a school night.” Weirdly enough, Hunter stayed quiet, though Eleanor was sure he’d have something snarky to say.

“What, no sass?” She asked him. Hunter shrugged and pulled out his notebook and pencil, flipping to a fresh page. Eleanor frowned at him.

“Are you ignoring me?” She tried again. No answer. “Wow, super mature, Hunter.”

He kept up his silent treatment all through this class and the next, and didn’t stop to walk her to mythology, like he usually did.

Luckily, Rich was in this class.

“What’s up with Hunter?” She asked him quietly while they worked on a worksheet. They were supposed to be pairing Greek gods to their origin stories, but Eleanor already knew all the answers.

“I don’t know,” Rich admitted. “He’s being weirder than usual.”

“Well, it’s not cool.” Eleanor finished matching the rest of the answers. “It’s not like I did anything wrong, but he’s treating me like I ran over his dog or something.”

“Or something,” Rich said with a funny half-smile. “I’ll talk to him about it later. It’s probably just the double this month that’s making him crazy.”

“The double?” Eleanor asked. As far as she knew, the only job Hunter had was scaring his sister.

“Uh, never mind,” Rich said quickly. “Will you check my answers?” While she knew something was up, she didn’t push it. She’d ask Hunter about it later, after school or something.

After school, the boys all waited by her car as per usual, even Hunter. Eleanor rolled her eyes at him and told Rob he could sit shotgun. Hunter snarled, a weird sound coming from him, and slid in the back, slamming the door.

Once she’d dropped off the step-brothers-to-be, she turned to Hunter.

“Can you get up here for a second?” Hunter stayed where he was, pouting petulantly. “You can’t expect me to give you a ride and be mean to me at the same time.”

“Me?” Hunter exclaimed, breaking his silence. “You’re one to talk!”

“What?” Eleanor said defensively. “Just because I sat with someone else for one lunch period?”

“You abandoned us for the barbie squad!” Hunter shot back. He did, however, get out and sit back down in the front seat.

“One lunch is not total abandonment. It’s called having more than one set of friends,” Eleanor argued.

“Oh, whatever,” Hunter grumped.

“You don’t own me! You don’t get to decide who I get to hang out with!” Eleanor voice rose in pitch, but she was on a roll. She gunned it out of the boys’ driveway and Hunter grabbed the headrest, looking nervous. “If you must know, Natalie was helping me figure out who that guy was, way more than whatever you guys were doing!”

“Wait, E, I didn’t… I didn’t know. I thought you were over it,” Hunter explained quickly, looking guilty.

“Of course not! I just wanted to talk to a girl about it, and Natalie was being so nice to me,” She said, losing steam.

“Hey, look, I’m sorry, E, it’s just been… I don’t even know, but I feel all nutty,” Hunter muttered, running a hand through his mop of blonde hair.

“Because of the double?” Eleanor asked, watching for a reaction. Hunter stilled, looking up at her slowly.

“What?” He asked. The color drained from his face and his eyes got wider.

“The double?” She asked again, like she knew what she was talking about.

“You… you know?” Hunter whispered.

“Oh, of course,” she lied. “Rich told me all about it.”

“Wait, Rich told you? What exactly did he tell you?” Hunter pressed, sitting up straighter. Eleanor kept her eyes on the road, pretending to focus on the driving. “Well?”

“Uh, well he didn’t give me all the details,” she mumbled. Hunter visibly relaxed, leaning back in his seat.

“Oh, good, for a minute I thought—”

“What’s the big secret anyways? You can tell me, I won’t tell anyone,” Eleanor interrupted, looking at him sharply.

“I don’t know if I’d call it a secret,” Hunter said hesitantly.

“So, what is it? Because I know something’s up, just no one’s telling me what. Rich was being annoying cryptic about it.” Eleanor frowned, remembering the way Rich changed the subject every time she brought it up.

“Thank god for Rich,” Hunter said under his breath. “Listen, it’s no big deal, okay? Just forget it.”

“Hunter, come on! I can’t leave the group, but I don’t get to know the secret?” Eleanor snapped.

“E, honestly, I’m sorry. You can sit with who you want, you don’t need my permission. I’m sorry I was being an asshole. Will you forgive me?” Hunter put on his best smile, the one that made him look like a cherub. Eleanor blushed.

“Whatever,” she said. “We’re here, by the way.”

Hunter sighed, reaching over to pat her shoulder.

“Are we cool? I don’t like fighting with you,” he admitted. Eleanor stared at him. How could someone be so honest and so mysterious all at the same time?

“Yeah,” she said after a long moment. “Yeah, we’re cool.”

After dropping Hunter off, Eleanor made the drive to her own house. The carpet was stained with blue paint, a sure sign that her mom had been working. Oh well, Eleanor thought. Sober and working was better than drunk and passed out.

She set her things down and went to get a snack. Munching on an apple, she noticed an envelope on the counter, her name written on it in her mother’s elegant script.

_Eleanor,_

_Went to see some friends but will be back in a few days. Talking plans for a gallery exhibition!_

_Left you some money for food._

_All my love,_

_Mom._

While she was thrilled for her mom, Eleanor couldn’t help feeling a little jilted. Most moms greeted their children with homemade cookies when they got home, and Delphine couldn’t even be bothered to be around?

Well, maybe not cookies.

Still, even Natalie’s parents, two prominent surgeons, made time to eat dinner with their daughter every night.

Dejected, Eleanor slumped on the couch, pulling out her books. She might as well get a jump on her homework. There wasn’t much tonight, but she figured she could work ahead maybe, or watch a movie, or call one of the guys.

Two hours later, Eleanor had finished up not only tonight’s homework, but enough to take her through Thursday. It was only six, too early for dinner, so Eleanor flicked on the TV, flipping through channels aimlessly.

There was some black and white horror movie on, so she settled in. It reminded her of Hunter, a little.

Suddenly, there was an explosion and Eleanor jerked awake. She looked around wildly and found there was some B-list action movie on. Had she fallen asleep? The sun had set, and the living room was dark, so she figured yes.

She turned off the TV, letting the darkness settle all throughout the room. It was comforting, in a way, to be enveloped in a thick and creamy darkness. There was something rich to it. Eleanor peered out the window, watching inky trees sway in the breeze against a backdrop of navy, star-dotted skies.

Just then, something dark and big moved quickly through her yard.

Eleanor froze, and suddenly, the darkness wasn’t so sweet anymore. The lovely shadows that had enveloped her turned cold and creeping, slinking in the edges of the room. Her breath came in shallow pants, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the windows. The thing blasted through her yard a second time, too big and fast to be an animal. Something about it struck Eleanor as _other._

She fumbled for her phone and hurried to the switch panel, turning on all the lights. Wildly, she scrolled through her contacts and hit Hunter’s name, pressing the little phone icon beside it.

“Hello?” He answered on the third ring, sounding a little distracted.

“Hey!” Eleanor worked to keep the hysterics out of her voice. “What’s up? What’re you up to, buddy, what’s up?

“Uh, just video games.” A beat. “E, is there something wrong?”

“What? No! Just…”  she trailed off then, feeling quite foolish. “Nothing, never mind, I’ll let you go.”

“No, hang on. What’s up?” Hunter sounded a little worried. Guiltily, she explained the situation. “Okay, I’m coming over.”

“Wait, Hunter, you don’t need to, seriously, you don’t need to!” Eleanor protested. She could feel the embarrassment color her cheeks. It probably was an animal, a racoon or something.

Although, said a little voice at the back of her mind, racoons aren’t normally human sized.

“Nah, don’t worry. I’ll get the guys, it’ll be fun. Order a pizza or something,” he said. Eleanor couldn’t explain it, but at his smooth, easy tone, she felt the tension seep out of her body.

“Okay, if you want,” she said, smiling a little. “Sounds fun.”

“Awesome! Pizza at E’s” He hung up then, and Eleanor fished the money out of the envelope, looking for a takeout menu. She ordered a few large pizzas, enough to keep three teenage boys sated.

Eleanor watched as not fifteen minutes later, the Sands Electricity truck came roaring up her drive way. Mr. Sands waved at her cheerfully. The boys all piled out, Hunter holding some sort of duffle bag. He waved his father goodbye.

Eleanor opened the door and greeted them, inviting them in and telling themselves to get comfy. Rob lounged on the couch, remote in hand, looking as if he was meant to be there. Rich stretched out on the recliner, criticizing Rob’s choices.

“What’s up?” Hunter’s voice was friendly, but his eyes were serious.

“I just,” she stopped then, unsure how to explain. “I saw something run through my backyard. It was way too big to be an animal and it was way too fast—”

“To be a human?” Hunter interrupted, looking deathly serious. Eleanor ducked her head, embarrassed.

“This is so stupid, I can’t believe I panicked and called you,” she mumbled.

“E, I’m glad you called. You can call me whenever, I’ll be there when ever you need me,” Hunter said with conviction. The room seemed to melt away, and suddenly, it was just her and Hunter, eye to eye, inches apart. Eleanor broke the moment first, blushed deeply.

“Um, thanks,” she muttered. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she wished it would calm down. This was only Hunter, her dorky friend. Her tall, charming, protective—

Friend.

He was just her friend.

“Are you guys coming or not?” Rich called, bringing Eleanor back to reality.

“Yeah, sure, pick whatever, just not a horror movie,” she said. The boys booed good naturedly but agreed, settling on a comedy instead.

Eleanor did not pay any attention what so ever to the inviting heat rolling off of Hunter in waves, where he sat so close to her, nor did she notice his clean smelling cologne. Absolutely not. Friends didn’t do that sort of thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought and keep an eye out every sunday for the next installment!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunter had tried to stay the night, but Eleanor insisted she was fine, that there was no reason to worry. Really, she didn’t want to spend an awkward night wrestling with nonexistent feelings for one of her best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So clearly, I missed a Sunday, but to make up for it, you get two updates today! Enjoy!

Hunter had tried to stay the night, but Eleanor insisted she was fine, that there was no reason to worry. Really, she didn’t want to spend an awkward night wrestling with nonexistent feelings for one of her best friends.

Whatever she felt was misplaced, she decided. Hunter had just stepped up, _as a friend,_ for her a couple times, and she felt grateful. Yes, she was going with grateful. And that was all.

After Mr. Sands picked the boys back up, Eleanor went around double checking all the locks all over the house. She called her mother, who didn’t pick up, predictably, but she left a message all the same. Around midnight, Eleanor felt tired enough to go to bed.

The next day, Eleanor peeked into the backyard again, feeling rather stupid as she ventured out on the back porch clutching a kitchen knife. There was nothing there, of course, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling of _wrongness._

She was so caught up, she almost ran late, but her phone chimed with a text from Natalie, asking how she was. Eleanor answered as she ran out to the car, before gunning it down the drive way and over to Hunter’s place.

He was already in the doorway waiting, talking to a _drop-dead gorgeous_ girl. Her long brown hair hung in perfect waves all the way down to her elbows, framing her pretty face nicely. She noticed Eleanor first and waved, sending Hunter on his way. Shyly, Eleanor waved back, moving her backpack. She must’ve been Hunter’s older sister, Jordan.

“Hey!” Hunter said, sliding into the front seat. “Sleep okay?”

“Yeah, it was fine. I told you it was no big deal,” Eleanor assured him. Hunter’s sister went back inside, and Eleanor was off, making her way to the boys’ place.

When Rob and Rich were picked up, they were arguing about something, but Eleanor couldn’t make out what.

“I just think the whole gang should know, I mean it’s life or death right now,” Rob argued. Rich shook his head, sighing like he’d had this argument plenty of times.

“Not a good option, dumbass, too many variables!” Eleanor tried to catch Hunter’s eye, but he was on his phone, frowning worriedly.

“What are you guys talking about?” she asked, half distracted by parking. Rich and Rob debated silently while they made their way into the building, so Eleanor asked again.

“Oh, nothing, we just started a new show—”

“A Canadian show!” Rob interjected.

“Anyways, yeah, a Canadian show, and we’re just talking about a major decision that… the _characters_ are making, and we have differing opinions,” Rich explained smoothly. Eleanor raised her eyebrow. While it wasn’t out of the ordinary that the boys could often invest themselves into shows, they were acting shifty, even for them.

“Right,” Eleanor said slowly. “What’s it about?”

“Okay so there’s this group, right, and one of them is a werewolf—” started Rob.

“Dude!” Hunter interjected. Eleanor raised her eyebrows at him, watching him go red. “I just meant, like, spoilers.”

“Anyways, one person in the group doesn’t know, but the other two do, but I think everyone should know,” he finished. Rich shook his head.

“The only reason the other person doesn’t know is because ignorance protects her. If she knows, then things get hard, and lives are at stake,” he countered. They loitered outside their first class, waiting for the bell to ring.

“Lives are already at stake!” Rob argued.

“Enough,” Hunter said, causing the boys to go silent. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“What the hell is this show?” Eleanor asked, feeling far too confused. Hunter shot her a charming smile.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, opening the classroom door. “After you.”

Of course, Mrs. Bright didn’t allow for conversation during lectures, purely because she was speeding through the material and no one had any time to do anything other than take furious and messy notes.

“So, what does the group do?” Eleanor asked Hunter on their way to European History. He went pale and looked at her frantically.

“What?” he asked, voice ragged.

“In the show? What does the group do?” Hunter relaxed, running a hand through his thick locks. Eleanor refused to think about how soft his hair might be.

“Dunno, I haven’t gotten that far yet,” he said. Today was another worksheet day, so she and Hunter partnered up, working through the finer points of the French revolution.

“Hey, listen, do you wanna come by after school? Everyone’s coming, my sister’s visiting for fall break. My dad and Jackie thought it’d be nice to have an early dinner all together. It’ll be over around 7,” Hunter stretched, far enough that his shirt rode up, leaving Eleanor to stare at the strip of creamy muscle he’d exposed. “E?”

“What? Yeah, dinner sounds good,” she said, pushing back her curls. Hunter tugged his shirt back into place and Eleanor tried not to die of mortification. She resolved to keep her eyes to herself from now on.

After that, classes went on pretty normally, and Eleanor took notes she could actually be proud of. At lunch, however, Rob and Rich had resumed their argument. Eleanor tuned them out, but then Rob something particularly interesting.

“I mean, we’ve already had two incidents so far, the Paulina thing—”

“Paulina?” Eleanor asked. Rob went almost translucent and squeezed his eyes tight. Rich smacked him hard over the head, looking worriedly to Hunter, who clenched his fists.

“What the hell is going on?” she demanded, crossing her arms. Hunter shook his head fast, trying for a signature Hunter Sands smile and falling short.

“Nothing, just another character on the show,” he said, though his voice wavered. Eleanor shook her head but decided to drop it. This was going to take more than a lunch time conversation. The boys tried for normal conversation—well, Rich and Hunter did, Rob stayed suspiciously silent.

In mythology, Eleanor ignored Rich, who looked guilty but resigned. It was clear that they had some huge, monumental secret, but they didn’t think she could handle it. The “show” was clearly a cover up, an allegory for them, and it had something to do with the woman stalking Hunter’s family. The only thing Eleanor couldn’t figure out, however was how werewolves fit into the equation.

The ride back home was almost excruciating, the only noise came from the radio. Hunter sat shotgun as per usual, but he kept his eyes squarely on the road. They reached Hunter’s place before Eleanor worked up the nerve to say anything.

“So, are you going to talk to me?” she asked. Hunter stayed quiet. “Hunter!”

“What do you want me to say?” he asked.

“The truth, Hunter! What’s going on? Who is Paulina, and why won’t you tell me anything?” she exploded, slamming her hands on the steering wheel. Rob and Rich exchanged looks in the backseat, and suddenly, it became too much.

“Okay!” she announced wildly. “Everybody out! Now! I’m not coming to dinner, Hunter, tell your dad sorry!”

There was a moment of tense silence, but the boys rushed out of the car. Eleanor tore out of the driveway fast, breathing through the tears threatening to fall. The drive back was far too fast, but Eleanor didn’t care. Once inside, she locked all the doors and threw herself dramatically on the couch finally allowing herself to cry.

After about half an hour, Eleanor pulled herself up from her pity party, swiping away her tears and heading for the kitchen. A flair for the theatrics was hereditary, it seemed. She reached into the pantry, snagging a package of cookies before settling back on the couch. Her homework was already done, so she threw on the TV, flickering through channels without really watching anything.

Steadily, the sun set, and the moon rose, bright and full. It looked beautiful, shining against a backdrop of velvety dark sky dotted with twinkling starts. At least the skies were a lot clearer in Sioux Falls. Eleanor made herself a cup of tea and grabbed a blanket to protect against the first chills of the fall and headed outside.

She felt better, enveloped in warmth, admiring the gorgeous moon. She thought about her dad, how it had been so long since she’d last called him and resolved to do so soon. She’d kept up with her old friends on Facebook, but as the semester wore on, people were finding less and less time to chat.

It felt like this was the first time in months that she’d gotten to truly think about herself, and her life, outside the context of Hunter and their friends. She liked them well enough, but sometimes she missed being friends with just girls. Natalie was sweet but eating lunch with the hordes of zombie cheerleaders unnerved her.

Eleanor finished her tea and set the mug aside, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. Suddenly, she heard a strange rustling in the bushes on the far side of the backyard. Maybe it was the warmth, or the time spent being introspective, but Eleanor ignored the voice in her head begging her to go back inside. She pulled up the flashlight app on her phone and made her way over to the bushes, only to find nothing.

The tinkling of crushed ceramic made her whip her head around, to stare at the empty back porch, covered in broken mug pieces. Eleanor stood stock still, and that strange feeling of _other,_ settled over her skin.

Her breathing grew shallow, but Eleanor knew the only way to feel safe was to go inside, turn on all the lights, and call… her mom. She needed to call her mom.

“Going somewhere?” Eleanor squeezed her eyes shut, and suddenly, she was back at Natalie’s party, pinned against the wall, squirming away from someone’s unwanted attraction. She’d know that voice anywhere. Her heart raced but she couldn’t move.

“Come on, pretty girl, I’m talking to you,” he said, louder this time. “Turn around, I like to see faces when I do this.”

Eleanor stomach twisted itself into sick knots, burning tears slipping down her cheeks. Still, she made no noise.

“Now!” He commanded. Eleanor jumped, but did as she was bid, slowly spinning on the spot to face him. He was unnaturally pale, skin gleaming in the moonlight. His eyes were dark and hungry, like a feral dog. It wasn’t an expression you’d find on a human face.

“Please,” Eleanor whispered through thick tears. “Please don’t.”

“I love it when you guys beg,” the man laughed, stepping closer. Eleanor took an involuntary step back, her foot landing on a fallen piece of wood. Suddenly, sharp clarity bloomed in her mind, her blood running hot in her veins. She needed to hit the man, incapacitate him somehow, then go inside and lock the back door. All the other doors would already be locked. Then, she’d call 911.

Eleanor moved back a little further, then sank to the ground, pretending to trip. The man watched her with amusement, moving slowly towards her. Out of nowhere, a howl pierced the air, loud and insistent. The man looked away and Eleanor took her chance. She grabbed the piece of wood and slammed it into the man’s knees, scrambling away even before he’d fallen. The door was only ten feet away.

“I don’t think so, sweetheart,” he said, materializing in front of the door. Eleanor screamed, jerking back then turning wildly. There was no where to go, she was trapped—

Something big and dark moved fast past her, with enough force to send her sprawling. It lunged at the man, but to Eleanor’s absolute astonishment, the man batted it away. The massive animal went sailing, yelping in pain. In her confusion, Eleanor thought it sounded rather like a dog.

“No!” He screamed. “This is my kill!”

“Eleanor, come on, we gotta go!” Eleanor jerked, looking up to find Rob, who clutched a nerf gun.

“What?” she asked. She’d died, she thought. The man killed her, and this was a strange, post-death hallucination.

“Up! Eleanor, come on!” Rob grabbed her arm and pulled up sharply, dragging her to her feet. She stumbled after him, closely followed by Rich, who also held a nerf gun. They moved past the dueling animal and man, which was a sight Eleanor hadn’t ever imagined, even in her wildest dreams.

The slammed and locked the door before depositing Eleanor on the couch. Rich stayed by the door, nerf gun held aloft. Rob stayed close to her, though he kept his own nerf gun at the ready.

Eleanor watch in silent horror as the _beast,_ a huge hulking thing covered in dark fur, ripped into the man. Maybe it was a testament to the beast’s killing capabilities, but the man didn’t bleed, not even when his limbs were tossed about Eleanor’s back yard.

“Oh my god!” Eleanor cried, leaping up from her spot. Sure, her reaction was delayed, but she was starting to think her fight-or-flight response was broken, stuck somewhere in the middle, on “freeze”. “We have to call the cops!”

“No cops!” Rob insisted. Rich nodded his agreement but didn’t turn away from the door.

“What!? We have to! That man was going to attack me! I could have died!” Eleanor made the mistake of looking out the window, where the beast had just ripped the man’s head from his shoulders. Eleanor gagged, but nothing came up. “Animal control.”

With that, the world turned sideways and faded to black.

00000

Ever since she was a child, Eleanor always suffered from vivid night terrors, the kind that had her jolting awake in the middle of the night, screaming like she was being murdered. Tonight was similar, though she didn’t scream when she woke.

She sat bolt upright, gasping through the surge of adrenaline. Just a dream, she repeated to herself, clutching desperately to the mantra. She was behind the couch, which was odd, but she figured she must have fallen asleep in the living room.

Slowly she got to her feet. There were nerf guns on the couch, and suddenly, the flood of memories came back to her. She remembered being hunted, trying to run, but being caught out. She remembered the animal leaping past her, latching on the man and ripping him into pieces. Eleanor gulped, but screwed up whatever courage she had left.

She made her way to the back porch, where Rob and Rich lay passed out. She looked out to the backyard, taking note of the smoldering remains of what looked like a bonfire. A little past that, she saw the oddest thing.

Hunter Sands lay prone in her backyard, completely nude.

Eleanor blinked, but there he was, naked and passed out in her backyard. She couldn’t dream this stuff up.

“Guys?” she said, voice gravelly with disuse. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Guys?” Rob stirred first, looking around languidly. He saw her and smiled for a second before the smile slipped off his face and a look of horror over took it. It would’ve been funny, if not for how confused she was.

“What the ever-living _fuck_ is going on?” she asked, wrapping her arms around herself. Rich woke then, but he got his bearings much fast than his brother-to-be.

“Eleanor!” He leapt to his feet, looking around wildly. “Hey, girl, how’d you sleep?”

Eleanor gestured around the backyard, then rather vehemently at the _still naked_ Hunter. “Care to explain?”

Rob and Rich exchanged looks, having a silent argument once again. Huffing, Eleanor sat down forcefully in a deck chair. Maybe it was the noise, or the sunlight peeking through the clouds, but Hunter began to wake, and everyone went silent. He stretched lazily, and Eleanor was momentarily blindsided by the _unreal_ abs. Then he stood.

“Oh my god!” Eleanor exclaimed, staring, determined, at the sky. “Why are you naked?!”

“Oh my god!” Hunter echoed, sounding panicked. There was a rustling, but Eleanor just shut her eyes, praying this was some strange dream. Although, she was worried about the state of her mental health if she was dreaming about a naked Hunter.

“Okay, you can look now,” Hunter said, sound much closer. Eleanor opened her eyes to find him just a few feet away, clad in low slung sweat pants and a t-shirt. Rob smiled charmingly at her, zipping up the duffle bag.

“I guess I win,” he said, prompting Rich to smack him again.

“I just want to ask,” Eleanor started slowly. “Why the hell was Hunter naked in my backyard?” The boys all exchanged looks, before all launching into incoherent explanations. Rich babbled about sleepwalking, Hunter talked about a dare gone awry, and Rob babbled about monsters.

“Enough!” Eleanor yelled, startling them into silence. “I want the truth, all of it, now! Hunter, start talking!” Hunter took a deep measured breath.

“Eleanor,” he started. “I’m a werewolf.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaannnnndddd now, everyone’s caught up!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Excuse me?” Eleanor sputtered, at a complete loss. Hunter smiled in an apologetic way, shrugging like he was confessing spilling her drink or ripping her notes. She looked to Rich and Rob, who both nodded solemnly, as if affirming this ridiculous excuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d usually promise that the next update will be on time, but honestly??? I’m a college senior coming up finals. It’ll be a true testament to my planning abilities if I get it up on time.

“Excuse me?” Eleanor sputtered, at a complete loss. Hunter smiled in an apologetic way, shrugging like he was confessing spilling her drink or ripping her notes. She looked to Rich and Rob, who both nodded solemnly, as if affirming this ridiculous excuse.

“Nope,” she said after a beat. “Try again, the truth this time.”

“E, that is the truth. The wolf that you saw last night was me, and the guy that attacked you was a vampire,” Hunter explained, putting on a more serious façade. Eleanor looked around, hoping for a camera, anything to prove that this was a joke. The other alternative, that Hunter was telling the truth, was too strange to contemplate. Hunter shook his head sadly, like he knew what he was thinking.

“Can you read minds?” she blurted, suddenly fearful. Hunter laughed once, surprised but shook his head.

“Uh, no, can’t do that, but I am faster and stronger than a normal person, plus, all my senses are enhanced,” he said. “That, and I turn into a wolf every full moon.”

“Are you fucking with me, yes or no?” Eleanor demanded, voice rising in her hysterics. She felt like her mother, out of control and spiraling.

“No, this is the whole truth. I’m a werewolf and this vampire, Paulina, is out to get me.” He launched into an explanation after that, about Wolfsberg, Transylvania, his sister, and a creepy caretaker called Madame Varcolac. Eleanor barely paid attention, feeling dizzy. She needed a drink.

“Okay!” she interrupted Hunter, just as he was describing Moonlight Mania. “I’m getting a drink, then taking a nap. My freak-out capacity had just hit max.” She strode purposefully back into the house, rummaging in her mother’s liquor cabinet. She pulled out an expensive bottle of amber liquid and gulped it back without looking at the label.

“Woah! Easy, E, that’s a lot of whiskey for 8 in the morning,” Rich said, easing the bottle out of her hands. Rob snatched it from him, taking a curious sip and gagging on it. Hunter looked at her sadly, which made her feel worse somehow.

The burning in her throat, eased her guilt a little, and the warmth settling in her chest made her feel better. She sighed, taking a seat at the island. She folded her hands in her lap and looked to Hunter.

“Look, I just… need a minute to wrap my head around this, okay? I’m not so good this sort of stuff,” she told Hunter softly. “We’re still friends, I just need a minute.”

“Okay,” he agreed, just as soft. “Do you want us to stick around?”

“Nah, I’ll be okay. Besides, your dad and Jordan are probably worried about you.” She waved her hand, dismissing them. Hunter sighed but nodded. He turned to go but stopped suddenly. “You don’t have a ride, do you.”

Hunter gave her his signature smile, and for a moment, Eleanor could believe this was one of her closest friends, that nothing had changed.

“Someone else has to drive,” she declared, getting the keys from the hook by the door. “By the way, what the hell did you burn last night?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rich said.

“Vampire pieces,” Rob said.

“Sorry I asked.” She handed the Hunter the keys, but stopped, appraising him. “Are you okay to drive?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. A little tired, but totally good,” he answered, reaching over to pat her shoulder. Suddenly, Eleanor couldn’t bear the thought and flinched back. Though Hunter worked to keep his face neutral, Eleanor couldn’t have missed the flicker of hurt that played across it. The group made their way to Eleanor’s car, somber and strangely quiet.

Hunter drove carefully, taking care to be kind to her car. Eleanor watched his hands, big and strong, that could rip apart into monster claws. She looked away fast.

When they parked outside the Sands house, Jordan already stood in the doorway, waiting for them. Her hair was pulled up into a pony tail today, which bounced jovial as she jogged up to greet them. Eleanor rolled down her window when Jordan came over to her side.

“Hi!” she said brightly. “I’m Jordan.”

“Eleanor,” she replied, sticking her hand out to shake. Jordan took it with a sly smile.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are. Hunter can’t shut up about you,” Jordan smirked, laughing as Hunter sputtered indignantly. While hearing this might’ve delighted her yesterday, today, it made her feel trapped, hunted almost. Whatever residual warmth the whiskey had given her disappeared fast, and along with it, the promise of a buzz. She wanted to laugh at the irony. Jordan’s expression softened.

“I know that things are really freaky right now, but I promise they’ll get better, okay? Why don’t you come in and have some breakfast.” With that, Jordan opened the car door and took her hand, gently leading her out. There was something about Jordan, a sort of aura she exuded, that seemed to quell the panic. Eleanor truly did believe things would be better.

Mr. Sands sat at the table, staring at his hands, but perked up at the sight of her and boys coming through the door. He exhaled hard, doubling over in relief and clutching a chair.

“Oh, thank god,” he sighed. “Everyone’s okay.”

“Of course, Dad, because we trust Hunter,” Jordan said pointedly. The boy— _werewolf,_ she’d never get over that—said nothing, sitting heavily in a chair.

“Of course,” Mr. Sands agreed. He turned to Eleanor. “Do you need to call your mother? Maybe your dad?” Eleanor shook her head, trying for a smile and falling short. Mr. Sands looked around helplessly for a moment before starting to plate breakfast and put it in front of the kids. The boys shoveled their food, but Eleanor mostly played with hers. The alcohol sat like a rock in the pit of stomach, turning it over. Her head was starting to hurt.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Hunter muttered after he’d finished, pushing away his empty plate. The boys exchanged glances, getting up as well and following Hunter upstairs.

“Jordan, honey, I promised I’d catch up with Jackie soon, will you… be okay?” Mr. Sands asked, not-so-subtly glancing over at Eleanor.

“I got this dad,” Jordan assured him. Confidence rolled off her in waves, absolutely effortlessly. For a moment, Eleanor envied her. Mr. Sands waved to both of them, yelling upstairs to Hunter after, then headed out the door. Jordan took a seat next to Eleanor.

“I’ve been where you were, by the way,” Jordan started, helping herself to a second serving of sausage. “Totally scared and in the dark.”

“Hunter told me what happened, with the LB 217 and the glass shards,” Eleanor offered quietly. “That must’ve been really hard.”

“It was, but I wouldn’t been able to get through it without Hunter. He’s a lot more reliable than he looks,” Jordan laughs. “And he was only fourteen then!”

“I just don’t know what to think,” Eleanor confessed. “That… vampire attacked me at a party, and then again. I feel weak and I hate it.”

“And it’s even worse that Hunter has to come save you, right?” Jordan asked, like she already knew the answer.

“Yeah!” Eleanor hadn’t realized it before but that weird feeling had been shame. Shame for being weak, for needing Hunter, for being a damsel in distress.

“You’re not weak,” Jordan told her in a no-nonsense tone. “It might feel like you are right now, but that’s just because your confidence is shaken. I can help you with that.”

“Really?” Eleanor believed Jordan was a badass, with her confident eyes and her easy smile, but she had a hard time imagining she could be a badass too.

“Sure. I lost all my power after I broke the curse, but I adapted. LA’s not exactly supernatural-free, you know. I’ve had my fair share of Buffy moments,” Jordan told her, winking conspiratorially. “I can show you how to take care of yourself without ever needing to get into a fight.”

“How’d you learn to do all this?” Eleanor asked. Jordan’s optimism was catching, and suddenly, Eleanor could see herself as Buffy, kicking ass and taking names.

“Well, I have a boyfriend to protect, but more than that, it makes me feel more in control. When I turned, it felt like I lost all control, like I was a slave to this curse. I never want to feel like that ever again.” Eleanor thought for a moment, her mind inadvertently going to back to Hunter.

“Is that what Hunter feels like?” she asked fearfully. She might not understand him right now, but she didn’t want his to feel like what Jordan had just described.

“Hunter? No way. He’s really in tune with his inner wolf. It’s not a curse for him, it’s a gift. I guess it’s a bloodline thing,” Jordan answered, getting up put her plate away. Eleanor felt better, not all the way, but better. Enough to face Hunter, at least. Together, the girls cleaned up the kitchen and Jordan promised to take her out to coffee and show her how to be supernaturally savvy.

“You can go on up, he’s probably expecting you,” Jordan said, settling on the couch. Eleanor nodded and made her way up the stairs. As she got closer to Hunter’s room, she heard all three boys whispering urgently.

“Hey,” she said, waiting in the doorway. “Can we talk? All of us?”

“Hey,” Hunter said softly, moving aside to let her in. Rob took a seat on the bed with Rich, leaving a gap for her in between. Rolling her eyes, Eleanor sat, allowing them to swing their arms over her shoulders.

“We’re here for you, E,” Rob says. “As fellow humans, we understand the mental upheaval you must be going through.” Hunter started to pace then, looking worried.

“I don’t know about mental upheaval,” Eleanor grumbled.

“So, a mild freak out, then,” Rich corrected. “Either way, we’re here with answers to any questions you may have.”

“Hello? Actual werewolf in the room. One who can answer questions better,” Hunter reminded them, looking cross. His hair stands up on one side, like he’s been running his hands through it.

“How does it work?” Eleanor asked before she could stop the words from leaving her mouth. “How did it start?” Hunter shrugged, sitting in his desk chair.

“Genetic mutation, maybe? Magic? I’ve been combing through my Uncle Dragomir’s notes forever, but I guess even he didn’t know.” Eleanor nodded, wrapping her arms around herself.

“And the vampire?”

“Who knows, but they’re undead. It’s my job to protect people from them,” Hunter told her, rummaging through his desk. He pulls out a file folder, flipping through it once before passing it over to Eleanor. “Here, this one’s pretty comprehensive.”

“Your uncle’s notes?” Eleanor asked, open the file to a random page. There’s a diagram of a huge wolf, drawn carefully with pencil. Eleanor wanted to trace them, but she was scared of ruining them.

“Give her the war file too, the history one,” Rich suggested, scooting so he sat against the headboard. He turned on the TV, flipping through channels.

“Give her the hypotheses one, too,” Rob said, smirking. Hunter flipped him the bird, scowling though his cheeks turned red.

“Two is fine, we don’t want to overwhelm her.” Hunter slammed the drawer shut, pulling one knee up to rest his chin on. He looked back at Eleanor. “That’ll help with the questions.”

There was a knock on the door then. All four of them looked up in surprise, finding Jordan in the doorway. She frowned at them, clutching her cell phone.

“I got off the phone with Madame V.” Hunter stands abruptly, waiting for the rest. “She’s doing her best Buffy impersonation, but there were only two vampires in Wolfsberg.”

“That means they’re all here,” Hunter finished the sentence grimly. “They followed Paulina.”

“Probably not, Hunter. We killed a lot of them, remember? My best guess is that she’s got a one minion with her, maybe two, and they’re turning people here,” Jordan said. She flopped down on the bed, running her hands through her hair. “I can’t go back to LA until we solve the vampire problem.”

“Go back to school, Jordan, I can deal with this on my own—”

“No way! We’ve got your back, dude. Team wolf all the way,” Rob interrupted, jumping up from his spot. There’s a serious determination on his face, a kind of assuredness Eleanor had never seen from him.

“When’s the next moon?” Rich asked, pulling his phone out.

“October 30th,” Hunter answered instantly. “Day before Halloween.”

“That’s when we strike,” Rich decided, nodding to himself. “Between the three of us, we take down the sires. After that, the baby vamps will be easy pickings.”

“Four of us,” Eleanor corrected. “I want to help to. That vampire attacked me, and I think they attacked Natalie too.” Against her better judgement, she tells them about what happened to the cheerleader, about the strange bruises and the lack of sex. Jordan snarled, angry on Natalie’s behalf. It endeared her to Eleanor, that she could feel such protectiveness for someone she didn’t even know.

“So we wait for the next party, then,” Rich said. “Figure out who the bloodsuckers are. Any idea when that might be, E?”

“No clue,” she confessed. “I’ll ask Natalie if there’s anything going on.” She remembered the cheerleaders suddenly, drooping and pale. “Can vampires feed without killing the person?”

“No clue,” Hunter admitted. “Uncle Dragomir’s got a ton of research about vampires and stuff, but honestly, I mostly skimmed it.”

“Well, there’s a lot of different lore concerning the transformation myths,” Rich explained. “In some ancient lore, vampires have to transfer blood to their progeny. Others, vampires kill their progeny, and bring them back, like they’re reborn again. Then finally, you have the venomous vampire trope, which pretty self-explanatory.”

“So, which is true?” Jordan asked, already googling it on her phone.

“You have to look at the frequency of the lore,” Rob interjected. “Not in movies or TV, but real mythology. Most sources generally agree that it’s a blood-sharing process.”

“Then I think I know exactly where the vampires are hanging out,” Eleanor informed them grimly.

“Wait, E, I think just the three of us should handle this,” Hunter said, corners of his mouth pulling down. “We have a ton more experience—”

“ _Five_ of us,” Jordan interrupted. “I’m not going back when you need me. And I’m not leaving Eleanor defenseless.”

“I don’t think so—”

“Hey!” Eleanor yelled, catching everyone’s attention and ushering a silence over the room. “I’m in the room, guys, you can’t talk about me like I’m not here. I’m going to make my own decisions. The first one is going home.”

“Okay, I’ll go with,” Hunter said, standing. Eleanor stopped him, raising her eyebrows.

“It’s the middle of the day, Hunter, I don’t think anything’s out there. I need to be home for when my mom gets back.” She turned to Jordan. “I’ll get your number from Hunter later and I’ll call.”

With that, Eleanor strode purposefully out, slowing to let Jordan catch up.

“You’re pretty cool,” she said, getting the door for Eleanor. “I get why my brother’s likes you so much.”

“Oh, I don’t think…” Eleanor trailed off, unsure of what to say. She wasn’t going to embarrass herself in front of Hunter’s sister.

“Oh, but I do,” she laughed, a pretty musical sound. “We’ll hang out.”

“Sure,” Eleanor said sincerely. Jordan was pretty much everything Eleanor would want in a big sister. She waved goodbye before backing out of the driveway, driving back to her own house. Once she’d put her car away, she walked through the front door fast, intent on cleaning up the remains of the vampire before her mother saw.

“Eleanor Davis.” Her mother’s voice rang out all through the living room, Eleanor whirling around to find her at the top of the stairs, wearing a pale blue negligee and a silky robe. “Just what were you burning in the backyard while I was away?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so now we’re getting somewhere plot-wise! See you guys next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mom!” Eleanor jumped at the sight of her mother, wildly racking her brains for something to say. “I didn’t know you’d be home so soon!”  
> “So, you threw a party?” she asked, gliding down the stair case with all the drama of an old Hollywood starlet. Eleanor rolled her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I’m almost on time, I guess. Nobody worry though, the story is actually done, I’m just in the process of editing things. Anyways, enjoy!

“Mom!” Eleanor jumped at the sight of her mother, wildly racking her brains for something to say. “I didn’t know you’d be home so soon!”

“So, you threw a party?” she asked, gliding down the stair case with all the drama of an old Hollywood starlet. Eleanor rolled her eyes.

“No, mother, of course not. I just had… a bonfire night,” she lied. “Just a few friends from school, nothing crazy.”

“Then why am I missing a good ounce of my favorite whiskey?” Eleanor frowned. She’d sobered up fast with the influx of food and crazy news, but an _ounce?_ She didn’t even feel fuzzy around the edges. Maybe she was turning into her mom.

“Maybe you drank it?” Eleanor asked her, pouring sass over the words. Delphine scowled, running her hands through her short blonde locks. “New hair cut?”

“Perhaps.” The two women circled each other slowly, Eleanor holding her ground. Delphine had sixteen years to try her hand in motherhood, only acting maternal when it ruined Eleanor’s plans. “Were there boys at the party?”

 Eleanor thought about saying yes, telling her mother she’d had only boys over, that she’d ruined their living room carpet with illicit activities, just to see what reaction she’d get. Would Delphine care? Or would she just scoff?

“One or two. There were girls too,” she lied, shoulders slumping. “We roasted marshmallows.”

“Sounds nice,” Delphine said, moving closer. Eleanor stiffened, bracing herself. Her mother had never hit her before but there was a first for everything. Instead, to Eleanor’s surprise, Delphine wrapped her daughter in a hug.

“I’m not a good mom,” she confessed. Tears fell hot and fast on Eleanor’s shoulders, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t respond. “I know I haven’t been there for you, baby, but I want to try. I’m going to try.”

“Mom…” Eleanor trailed off, completely blindsided. Delphine held her at an arm’s length, sincerity shining in her doe eyes.

“I’ve been getting help, sweetheart. I’m going to be better. I won’t let him take you away from me,” Delphine insisted.

“What? Who, mom? What are you talking about?” Eleanor jerked out of her mother’s grip, guiding the both of them to the couch. Delphine sat heavily, sobbing heavily.

“You’re father! The man who left us wants to come back and take you from me!” she cried. Eleanor’s heart leapt into her throat. Her father hadn’t called the whole time they’d been here, almost four months, and now he wanted to take her away.

“Dad? When? How do you know?” she asked in a small voice.

“He was there, at my gallery opening, with that whore he’s been parading around. He didn’t call you?” Eleanor shook her head, tears springing up to her eyes.

“You saw him?” Her voice was thick with tears, but she wouldn’t cry. Delphine nodded, looking up at her with childlike sorrow. “I’m going upstairs, mom, to take a shower.”

Eleanor left Delphine there, rushing to find refuge in the safety of her shower. She cried until the water ran cold, only getting out when she couldn’t take it anymore. She shivered in her towel, climbing under the covers. She pulled out her phone, clicking on her father’s number.

“Hello?” The feminine voice that answered surprised her, but Eleanor cleared her throat, determined for answers.

“Hi. Is my dad there? Richie Davis?” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

“Oh, are you Eleanor?” she asked.

“Yeah. Is dad busy, or…?” The woman on the other side called for dad, and for a moment, they stayed quiet.

“Ellie?” Her father’s voice broke the dam on her emotions, and instantly, Eleanor was crying again.

“Why didn’t you call me before?” Eleanor asked, sniffling.

“Oh, honey, I wanted to, believe me, but I wanted to give you and your mother a chance. But I know that she’d not ready to take care of you now. I’m fighting to get you back here. You can go to your old school, see you old friends.” Eleanor stayed silent, thinking. She was a completely different person now, and she had people here that she cared about, like Natalie, Rich and Rob, Jordan, and Hunter.

“I don’t want to come back, I just want you to try harder,” she told him. “I want you to call, to show up for things. I don’t want upend my life all over again. I want things to get better with Mom!”

Eleanor took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. There was no use yelling at him.

“I want you not to petition for custody. I’m happy here, Dad, but I’d be happier if you were in my life too.” There was silence on the other end, then ragged breathing, like her dad might be crying. Eleanor blanched, scared of hearing her father break.

“Look, kiddo, I want to try too. I’m going to try harder, but you’re so far away. I miss you,” he confessed.

“I miss you, too. I’ll come back for holidays,” she promised. Once the heavy stuff was over, Eleanor chatted to her dad for a while, but she couldn’t get the feeling of brokenness out of her head. Everything was so messy between her parents, and she had no one to talk about it with. Natalie’s parents were together and happy, Rob and Rich’s parents were together and happy, and Hunter’s dad was a solid, reliable, loving person.

The toll of the day before and this morning hit, so Eleanor snuggled up in her comforter, wrapping herself up in an effort to forget. She shut her eyes and drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

00000

Eleanor woke to buzzing, persistent and loud. She squirmed around, trying to extract a hand from her nest of blankets. She swipes open her phone, scrolling through the accumulated texts.

JORDAN: Hey! Hope you’re okay, just wanted to pick a time to get together and hang out. Was going to teach you vamp defense 101. Let me know!

RICH: Hey, I know things are super weird, but we’re always around to talk.

ROB: You should hit Natalie up, figure out when the next party is. Team wolf has to be ready to strike!

HUNTER: Hey, I know this has been really crazy but let me know if you want to talk about it.

HUNTER: Also, you handled everything like a boss.

HUNTER: Sorry to keep texting you, but I’m worried about you.

NATALIE: Hey girl! My brother’s visiting from college next week, so we’re throwing a party. Wanna come? You can bring your guys.

Eleanor responded to the texts, assuring her friends she was alright. She stared at Natalie’s text for a while, unsure how to respond. She thought about the last party, about the listless cheerleaders, about Rob’s text.

ELEANOR: Hey Natalie! Sounds good, I’ll ask the guys if they want to come too.

She dialed Hunter’s phone number and waited.

“Hey! Are you okay? What’s up?” he asked, answering immediately.

“Listen, I was thinking that we have to be prepared. Rob was right, we have to be ready to attack and we have to catch the vampires unaware. Even if you’re not a… wolf, it’ll still be five against one.”

“Wait, slow down. When and where are we even supposed to attack vampires? We don’t know where they’re going to be, and even if we did, no one’s prepared,” Hunter argued. “Besides, any sentence that starts with ‘Rob was right’ is terrifying.”

“Jordan’s going to teach us,” Eleanor countered, feeling determined. Somehow, it felt like the responsibility landed on them to solve the vampire problem.

“Jordan has enhanced strength, speed, and senses. She’ll be okay. You guys, on the other hand, are just—”

“We have to try, Hunter! Jordan has to go back to school and you can’t do this alone!” Eleanor yelled. She already felt powerless, because of her parents and the vampire attack, but Hunter telling her she couldn’t do anything was too much.

“Okay, just… I want to keep you guys safe,” he said soothingly. “I’m sorry.”

“And we want to keep you safe,” Eleanor told him with conviction. “Besides, I have a plan.”

“Why does that make me nervous?” Hunter groaned. “Okay, I’m listening.”

Essentially, the plan boiled down to four simple steps.

  1. Infiltrate the party and identify the vampires.
  2. Get a vampire alone.
  3. Trap it and smuggle it out of the party.
  4. Grill it for information.



Eleanor texted with Jordan, setting up their meeting after school on Monday. Jordan told her to dress comfy, easy for movement. They’d be talking about identifying vampires and killing them. Nerves fluttered in Eleanor’s stomach, but she kept getting ready for the week.

The school day flew by, and after, Eleanor drove the boys to the Sands house. Jordan waited for them in the kitchen, catching up with homework online.

“Hey guys! How was school?” she asked, putting away her things. Everyone gave blandly positive answers, eager to get started. They were lead to the backyard, where Jordan had jacked some of Hunter’s mannequin parts to build targets.

For the next few hours, Jordan lead them through exercises, told them how to tell if someone was a vampire right off the cuff. They finished around dinner, everyone tired and hungry. Still, Eleanor felt good. She felt in control for once.

The week progressed well, they kept practicing, and everyone stayed over Wednesday night while Mr. Sands took Jordan back to school. She had a midterm coming up, so she couldn’t stick around, but she was confident they could handle this.

The day of the party came faster then any of them had anticipated, but they swaggered into Natalie’s party with a sense of confidence. Well, Rob and Rich swaggered. Eleanor liked to say she strode with purpose, ready for anything. Only Hunter hovered around apprehensively.

Eleanor poured herself a drink and faked a sip. She scanned the party with an air of carelessness, cataloging the people. The high schoolers were mostly inside, clustered through the living room and kitchen, while the few college kids huddled around a fire outside, working their way to a drunken stupor. An attractive pale kid that neither she nor Natalie could identify flitted around both parties, talking to each girl.

Eleanor was done up as alluringly as she could. She’d borrowed a short dress from Natalie and wore her hair straight and sleek. She’d even put makeup on. When the guys saw her, they’d all given her impressed compliments. Hunter had turned bright red when he saw her, his eyes flashing gold for a second. Eleanor hadn’t known how to take that.

“Hey.” The maybe-vampire had finally made his way to Eleanor, leaning against a wall. His skin was pale, a tell Eleanor mentally checked off. He was bundled up too, even in the stifling heat of the party. Check. Vampires were always cold. He looked tired and had red-rimmed eyes, which did nothing to diminish his good looks. Triple check.

“Hi. I haven’t seen you before,” Eleanor said in what she hoped was a coy voice. She wasn’t good at flirting, maybe due to lack of practice, but she’d watched a ton of chick-flicks. How hard could it be, really?

“I’m new in town,” the boy said, smirking. He stepped closer, eyes fliting down to her throat. She swallowed, suddenly afraid. She knew the boys were around, but she couldn’t help the small flare of fear.

“Me too. I moved here this summer,” she offered. They talked, mostly chit-chat, nothing too incriminatory. He stepped closer again, frowning slightly.

“Strange perfume you’re wearing,” he said conversationally. “Where did you get it?”

“Oh! Uh, Bath and Body Works, maybe? Who knows,” she mumbled. He offered his hand, smiling rakishly.

“Wanna get out of here?” Eleanor looked around, but she couldn’t see the boys. Suddenly their plan was falling apart. Still, she had to try.

“Where to?” The boy chuckled, taking her hand gently and pulling her along. He took her upstairs, and Eleanor become more and more aware of the stake she’d hidden against the zipper of her dress.

The walked around the room he’d commandeered, looking through the pictures and posters on the wall. This must be Natalie’s brother’s room. Eleanor touched the stake, fingers shaking.

“I can smell it on you,” he said, smiling. “The mongrel. It’s all over you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered. The boy laughed, stepping into Eleanor’s space. She flinched, backing up until she hit a wall.

“You know, Paulina told me there would be a boy, the wolf, but she said nothing about other humans,” he said conversationally. Eleanor could feel her heart racing, threatening to beat out of her chest. “Oh well. I guess this is just a perk.”

Eleanor shoved her elbow into the boy’s chin, sending him back. It was enough for her to maneuver the stake out of her dress and press it against the boy’s chest. He held his hands up, full on grinning now.

“You’ve got grit!” He sounded delighted, taking a half-step back. “I feel almost bad for having to kill you now.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Hunter burst through the door, brandishing a water gun full of holy water. “Back up.”

“Hey, puppy. I wondered when you were going to show up,” The boy peered into the hallway, tutting. “No back up?”

“Don’t need it,” Hunter replied, cocking the gun. Eleanor couldn’t help the blush that rushed into her cheeks at the sight of him, wishing she had better timing. “E, now!”

Eleanor shoved the stake into the boy’s chest, but he was in the process of turning. It went in oddly, but thick, dark red blood began to spill from the wound. He groaned, falling to his knees, clutching at the stake. His fangs were prominent, eyes blood red.

“Oh my god!” Rich and Rob burst in then, both clutching water guns. The vampire on the floor groaned, so all three boys blasted him with holy water. His skin burned and he hissed. Eleanor gagged on the smell of burning flesh.

“Okay, so we have to get him out of here,” Rob said, talking fast. His face was unbelievably pale and his hands shook just slightly. “We, we can dump him in the woods behind the house. The sun will come up and he’ll turn to dust.”

“Why hasn’t he already died?” Rich asked. “Something’s wrong.”

“What does it matter?” Rob yelled, almost hysterical. “Screw an interrogation, we need to dump him!”

“No! We have to interrogate him,” Hunter insisted, crouching low to stare the boy in the eye. “Who are you working for? Paulina? What does she want?”

The vampire laughed, spitting blood. Eleanor’s entire body shook, watching the vampire bleed out. She wanted to close her eyes, hide away or something, but she couldn’t. Nausea roiled in her stomach, threaten to dump out her dinner.

“I’m not going to tell you shit, kid. I’m a thousand years old, you think a misplaced stake and a little holy water are going kill me? No way. I’m here for the blood she promised me.” Hunter grabbed him by the collar, shaking him. There was fear in his green eyes, the horror of their situation weighing down on him.

“Who’s she? Paulina? Why did she promise you blood?” The vampire slumped, eyes shutting. Rob stared in horror.

“He’s dead,” he squeaked. “We really have to dump him!”

“Why isn’t his body disintegrating?” Rich demanded. “That’s what happens!”

“In the sun maybe! Holy shit…” Rob trails off, sniffling softly.

“Dump him,” Eleanor said, surprising them. Her voice held strong, despite the panic in her head. “You all have to calm down. Hunter, you and Rich are going to take him downstairs and out into the woods. It won’t matter either way, because in a few hours, the sun will the up. Make sure to leave the stake in. Rob and I are going to clean up the mess.”

Hunter shot her a look full of relief, pulling himself up. Together, he and Rich hefted the body, covering the wound with his coat. Rob looked to her, wringing his hands.

“Strip the sheets. We have to get rid of them.” Together, the totaled the sheets, ripping them apart. The blood was smeared between on the comforter of the bed and all over the floor, so Eleanor sent Rob to find something to cover it, to spill in its place. While he was gone, Eleanor gave herself a moment to freak out, before hunting for some bleach to mop up the blood.

Once the room was taken care of, Eleanor found herself downstairs, gulping down a can of soda desperately. Her throat had been aching and she needed sugar in her system.

“You alright?” Natalie stood in front of her, smiling brightly.

“Yeah, totally,” Eleanor lied, hoping her smile wasn’t as brittle as she felt. Natalie patted her arm before heading out, finding David and kissing him soundly.

“Hey.” Hunter slipped back into the room, looking far more put together. “Rich is waiting by the car. He wants to bounce.”

“Yeah,” Eleanor said. Hunter gave her a hard look, before folding her up in a hug.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, E, we really needed you back there,” he mumbles into her neck. “I was sort of panicking back there.”

“Don’t worry, Hunter. I told you I had your back.” Eleanor told Natalie they were heading out before driving away. She dropped everyone off at their houses, but no one talked. No one could even bring themselves to look at each other.

The following Monday’s ride to school was just as dismal. Eleanor drove in silence, trying to get around the people gathering in the parking lot. Miraculously, she did find a spot. As the gang got out, a scream pierced the air, one that Eleanor instantly recognized to belong to Natalie.

Eleanor had taken off before anyone could stop her, though Hunter and the boys were hot on her trail. She found Natalie at the front of the crowd she’s pushed through. The girl sank to her knees, crying softly. Eleanor looked around wildly before her eyes settled on what had upset the cheerleader.

It was David.

Or, it was what was left of David.

Eleanor gagged, looking away fast. Focusing instead on Natalie. She helped the poor girl to her feet, helping to guide her to the small army of teachers and police officers gathering at the front doors.

“There was a note on his body,” Natalie cried. “It said, ‘a new chew toy for the puppy.’ What the fuck does that even mean?”

Eleanor looked to Hunter, who still stood in the crowd. He’d heard Natalie perfectly, his face going ashen. He looked up at Eleanor, and for the first time, she saw real and honest fear in his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens! Tune in next week for more mayhem!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Needless to say, school was cancelled. Police worked fast to get kids off the campus, taking over the traffic flow. Rob helped Hunter get back into the car, while Rich called his parents and Mr. Sands. Eleanor tossed her keys to Rob, gesturing to Natalie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, a timely update! During finals week! I amaze myself, although, you guys can be the judge of that. Hope you enjoy!

Needless to say, school was cancelled. Police worked fast to get kids off the campus, taking over the traffic flow. Rob helped Hunter get back into the car, while Rich called his parents and Mr. Sands. Eleanor tossed her keys to Rob, gesturing to Natalie.

“Ladies, you need to follow me,” a police officer said, guiding them into the main office. Principal Dermott paced nervously in the office, cell phone in hand.

“God, did you girls find the body?” Principal Dermott asked, raking a hand through his hair. “We need to talk to you, to help figure out who did this, and once we’re done you two are free to go. Natalie, I’ve called you parents already, but Eleanor, I didn’t even know you were involved, so while the officers ask you questions, I’m going to call your mother.”

The questioning went by in a blur, but thankfully, the girls were questioned together, with some teachers with them. Mostly, they were questions about how they found David, whether they knew what he’d been doing this weekend, and the like.

Once the girls were released, they sat in the main office, waiting for their parents. Natalie took Eleanor’s hand in hers, squeezing it tight.

“Thanks for being there for me,” she said, voice thick with tears. “None of my other friends even bothered.” Eleanor thought about the cheerleaders, pale and sickly, standing at the edges of the crowd like zombies.

“We’re friends,” Eleanor replied simply, squeezing Natalie’s fingers back. They didn’t speak after that, Natalie lost in the beginning waves of grief, while Eleanor floundered under the crushing weight of guilt.

This was their fault.

No, this was _her_ fault. She didn’t stake the vampire like she should’ve, and they hadn’t made sure he was really dead. Everything Saturday night had been so stressful, full of panic and a sense of recklessness.

They hadn’t thought the vampire would’ve been able to get up and walk around after what they’d done, much less orchestrate such a vicious and gruesome murder. Eleanor leaned towards Natalie, putting her head on the girl’s shoulder. She responded by laying her cheek on Eleanor’s head. Though Eleanor felt guilty taking such comfort from the poor girl, she couldn’t help it, needing someone to cling to.

The doors of the office burst open and parents rushed in. To Eleanor’s absolute and utter surprise, both her mother and father were there. Eleanor burst into tears at the sight of them, barreling into her father’s chest. She cried in earnest, for David, for finding him, for Natalie, and for herself.

“Oh, sweetheart, it’s okay now. I’m here,” Richie murmured, rubbing her back. Eleanor peeked over his shoulder, watching Delphine sign paperwork and talk to the officers, tears dripping dramatically down her cheeks. She’d always been a pretty crier.

Both sets of families were escorted out, following police cars out and onto the streets. Eleanor sat in the backseat, feeling like a little girl. For a moment, she thought about telling her parents everything that had happened, including her foray into the supernatural world. They shared a panicked look when they thought she wasn’t looking, and the moment passed. She had to protect them.

At home, Eleanor excused herself to go upstairs, desperately needing a shower. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw David, laid out on the school rock, dripping blood into the grass. She scrubbed at her skin until she was raw and pink. Once she was dressed, she steeled herself to face her parents.

“—can’t let her stay here! Not now!” Her dad was yelling. Delphine lay draped on a couch, sobbing openly.

“How much more can you take away from me, Richie? Huh? How much? You obliterated my marriage with your little assistant, blasted my life apart, and now, you’re trying to take my daughter from me!” She yelled, bracelets clacking together as she waved her hands.

“Guys!” Eleanor interjected, stepping into the living room. Both her parents fell silent, taking a seat on the couch. Delphine opened her arms, inviting Eleanor to step into them. She wanted to, for a moment, but there was work she had to do, things she wouldn’t be able to if she was caught in the crosshairs of a custody battle.

“I’m not going anywhere right now,” Eleanor started, ignoring the shocked looks and incredulous sputtering from her father. “My friends need my right now, dad, the community too.”

She didn’t mention that her friends and community needed her to help kill a bunch of vampires, but hey, that was life. Eleanor felt off-kilter but determined, like she was pushing hard on something that wasn’t there all the way.

“Eleanor, listen to me,” her father pleaded. “You can have your old life back, honey, I can keep you safe!”

“He left us, Eleanor, don’t forget, just so her could bury himself in some girl barely older than you!” Delphine cried. Eleanor flinched at the implication, but charged on.

“I’m not going anywhere right now, dad, I already told you. I need to be here,” she explained. “I don’t need my old life.”

“I get that you’re punishing me—” Richie started.

“I’m not punishing you!” Eleanor yelled, losing her tenuous control. “Mom needed me, so I left! Now, I need this place, my friends, so I’m staying here!”

A stunned silence settled over the room, both parents looking at her with uncertain expressions. Delphine opened her arms once again, and this time, Eleanor stepped in, relishing the rare moment of order, of mother taking care of daughter, and not the other way around.

“Sweetheart,” Delphine started. “I’m so grateful that you stayed for me, but I promise, from now on, I’m going to work hard and take care of you, like you deserve. I’m getting sober, I swear, but if you want to go, Eleanor, you can. It’s all up to you.”

Eleanor felt tears burn in the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them spill. What she needed to do now was to get to her friends, to make a plan. She sat with both parents for a few minutes, relishing the care and affection in the embrace.

“I have to go now,” she whispered, pulling away. “I have to go check on my friends. It’ll make me feel better.”

In the name of Eleanor’s healing, they let her go, Delphine going as far as to offer to take her to the Sands house, where her car sat waiting in the drive way. Eleanor promised her mother she’d be back in time for dinner and headed up to the door.

“Hey, Eleanor, honey, thank you so much for letting the boys use your car,” Mr. Sands said as he opened the door. “You hungry or anything?”

“No thanks, I’m good.” He led her upstairs to Hunter’s room, where the boys were all huddled together, sitting cross-legged on the floor. There was a map if the town between them.

“Alright, everyone stop,” Mr. Sands said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I have a horrible feeling you four know what happened this weekend. Start talking.”

There was an uncomfortable silence, where they all exchanged panicked looks. Rob was the first to break.

“Okay, we’re way in over our heads, Mr. Sands! This whole thing was our fault!” To everyone’s surprise, his eyes went glassy with tears. Rich settled a hand on his brother-to-be’s shoulder, a calming motion.

“I got this, Dad, it’s my job to take care of things like this,” Hunter said, stony-faced.

“Hunter, this isn’t Transylvania! This is life and death, innocent people are involved, and you guys have some half-baked plan that’s only going to get you hurt, or worse!” His face softened as Hunter’s went ashen, and he knelt next to his son. “We’re all on the same team here, but we have to stop involving the boys and Eleanor, they could get hurt. Let’s call Jordan and the three of us can take care of it.”

“No offense, Mr. Sands,” Eleanor interjected. “You guys are going to need all the help you can get. Last time, they weren’t expecting a Vukovic werewolf, so you guys had an edge. Now, they’ve had years to plan. They’re expecting the three of you, but they won’t be expecting us all.”

“Dad, she’s right,” Hunter agreed, getting up to stand by Eleanor. “There’s a full moon next week, we have to strike then.”

“I don’t like the idea of you kids getting hurt,” Mr. Sands said slowly. “But I don’t see another option. It’s not like we can call the supernatural police.”

“Dad, I’m going to take care of them, but we just need a plan,” Hunter said, gesturing to the map. “Paulina’s got to be close, and Eleanor has a theory that she’s either recruiting or feeding at high school parties.”

They all settled on the floor of Hunter’s room, formulating a plan. It was nice to have Mr. Sands on their side, it made them feel like they were secure, somehow. At the very least, he always shot down the wildly ludicrous plans that wouldn’t work. Jordan had been video-chatted in, and everyone got to see her boyfriend, who waved shyly. He too promised to help them.

Around dinner time, Eleanor, Rob, and Rich decided to head back, all having promised their parents to be home before the new, city-wide curfew.

“Hang on a second,” Hunter said, once the boys had left. He ruffled his hair, frowning nervously. “Look, I just wanted to say thanks.”

“Oh, about the car! It’s no big deal, seriously, and I had to be there for Nat—” Eleanor shut up suddenly, when Hunter wrapped her in a tight hug, clinging like a little kid.

“Oh, Hunter,” she sighed. “It’s not your fault, I swear. You’re not alone, we’re all here to help.”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me,” he mumbled. Eleanor could feel hot tears drip onto her shoulder. She clutched him tighter, her mind inadvertently going to Natalie. “I already got someone killed.”

“We have to fix this now,” Eleanor told him, rubbing gentle circles on his back. “Before it gets worse.” Hunter nodded into her neck, sniffling as he pulled away. He laughed a little despite himself.

“God, I’m such a mess,” he said, ruffling his hair. Eleanor shook her head, smiling weakly.

“It’s been a really messed up day,” she said. “My dad came back.”

“You never really talk about your dad.” Before Eleanor could respond, Rich poked his head into the room, grimacing apologetically.

“I just got off the phone with my folks,” he said. “They kind of want both of us back now.”

“Me too,” Eleanor said. “Let’s go.” Hunter walked with them, leaning against the door frame of the front door to watch them go.   

At home, her father paced back and forth in the backyard, having some sort of argument on the phone. Music blared in the living room, and the carpet was covered in purple splotches of paint. Delphine moved like a hurricane, her brush strokes wild and unrestrained. Eleanor stood in the foyer, unnoticed, taking a moment to admire her mother’s skill. For all her failings, Delphine was a true talent.

“Mom?” she said after a moment, settling on the couch. “What’s going on?”

“He’s leaving us,” she replied, voice tight. “Again.” Eleanor scoffed softly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Now?” She’d assumed that he’d stay a little longer, maybe a few days while all the craziness settled down. Logically, she knew it might be safer for him to get back to the city before the full moon, but the not-so-grown-up part of her wished she could have her parents on her side for this. Hunter was truly lucky to have the dad he did.

Delphine stopped, setting down her paint brush. Her hands were smeared in paint, but Eleanor didn’t care as she cupped her face.

“You can go with him if you want,” Delphine said. “If that’s what you want to do. Besides, I’ll have gallery exhibitions in the city all the time! We can see each other as much as you want.”

“New York and Minnesota are pretty far from each other,” Eleanor said, leaning into the touch. “I want to stay here, but I need to see you try.” Delphine pulled her into a tight hug, clutching like Eleanor was a lifeline.

“I will, sweetheart, I promise.” Richie came back into the house then, running a hand through his already ruffled hair.

“Del, you’re getting paint all over her,” he said. “How do you feel, kiddo?”

“I’m fine, I swear. Being with my friends really helped.” Richie sat down heavily on the couch, taking one of Eleanor’s hands in his own.

“I have to be back at the office soon,” he told them. “We have a big case coming up. I need you tell me what you need, honey.”

“Dad, just because I want to live here doesn’t mean I don’t love you. Yeah, I was mad before, but I settled here. I don’t want to move again. I’ll come visit for holidays and birthdays and random weekends too.” Eleanor felt lighter than she had while. She could save her parents and the town too.

“I’m a phone call away, alright,” Richie said, leaning over to press a kiss to Eleanor’s temple. “I have to pack.” Delphine sat on the couch with Eleanor for a while, wrapped around her like a blanket. Eleanor wondered how she was going to save her mom.

They drove to the airport all together, and for a brief hour, Eleanor pretended her family was whole again, like her dad was just going on a business trip or something. The ride back was almost uncomfortably quiet, so they took a random exit, looking a restaurant for dinner.

It was the first time in a long time, pretty much since before the divorce, back when Delphine acted like a real mom, that the two of them got along so well. They talked tentatively through appetizers, and when dessert came around, they were laughing, enjoying each other’s company for once.

Once Eleanor was back in her room, she called Natalie, snuggled up under her covers.

“Hello?” Natalie’s voice was a rough, scratchy approximation of her usual bright cadence.

“Hey, I was wondering how you were doing,” Eleanor said.

“I don’t know. I mean, things with David were always rocky, you know? Like we were never really happy together, but we were never happy apart either. I feel so bad for Saturday night now,” Natalie admitted.

“What happened on Saturday?” Eleanor asked.

“God, it was so stupid. We were having a good time, but then the boys wanted to crash my brother’s bonfire or whatever, but I was like ‘You’re here with me, you should pay attention to me!’ but David is David and he wanted to go with them. We got into this stupid fight and it totally killed the party. People left pretty fast after that.”

“I’m sorry, that totally sucks,” Eleanor said, thinking back to when she’s seen the pair last. They looked happy enough, if a little drunk.

“I just want to know who would do something that fucked up to another human, like who would kill him like that and leave him there? It was like they weren’t even trying to hide it! And the police kept asking about his enemies! He was seventeen, his biggest enemy was calculus!”

Eleanor laughed in spite of herself, a hysterical cackle that sounded strange to her own ears. Natalie laughed to, and suddenly, they were in hysterics. It took several minutes for them to calm down, and once they did, Natalie was crying softly.

“Thanks for calling,” she sniffled. “It means a lot that you did.”

“I’m here for you, Nat, whatever you need.” Eleanor assured her. They said goodnight and Eleanor hung up the phone, ready to fall asleep. They were having a special assembly at school tomorrow, most likely for David.

Just as she was falling asleep, the phone rang again. Groaning, Eleanor answered it.

“Hello?”

“E, it’s Hunter. Jordan’s coming home in a couple day and I think she has a plan. Can you be at my place tomorrow afternoon? After school? We need to do research.” Hunter sounded wired, like he’d had one too many cups of coffee before the phone call.

“What kind of research?” Eleanor asked, voice still gravely with sleep.

“Jordan’s been hearing some rumors, I’ll explain tomorrow,” he said. “God, we could actually do this!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next time folks!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! The first couple chapters will be up one after the other, but i'll let you all know what the schedule is one i catch up!


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